Table of Contents Employee Handbook Receipt... 5 Introduction... 6 District Information... 7 Employment Compensation and Benefits...

Transcription

1 Employee Handbook Adopted by the Board of Trustees June 19,

2 Table of Contents Employee Handbook Receipt... 5 Introduction... 6 District Information... 7 Description of the District... 7 Mission Statement, Goals, and Objectives... 8 Board of Trustees... 9 Board Meeting Schedule for Administration School Directory Helpful Contacts School Calendar Employment Equal Employment Opportunity Employment After Retirement Contract and Noncontract Employment Certification and Licenses Searches and Alcohol and Drug Testing Health Safety Training Reassignments and Transfers Workload and Work Schedules Breaks for Expression of Breast Milk Notification to Parents Regarding Qualifications Outside Employment and Tutoring Performance Evaluation Employee Involvement Staff Development Compensation and Benefits Salaries, Wages, and Stipends Paychecks Automatic Payroll Deposit Payroll Deductions Overtime Compensation Travel Expense Reimbursement Health, Dental, and Life Insurance Supplemental Insurance Benefits Cafeteria Plan Benefits (Section 125) Workers Compensation Insurance Unemployment Compensation Insurance Teacher Retirement Other Benefit Programs

3 Leaves and Absences Personal Leave State Sick Leave Local Leave Sick Leave Bank Extended Leave Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) General Provisions Local Family and Medical Leave Provisions Temporary Disability Leave Workers Compensation Benefits Assault Leave Bereavement Leave Jury Duty Other Court Appearances Military Leave Employee Relations and Communications Employee Recognition and Appreciation District Communications Complaints and Grievances Employee Conduct and Welfare Standards of Conduct Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Harassment of Students Reporting Suspected Child Abuse Sexual Abuse and Maltreatment of Children Reporting Crime Technology Resources Personal Use of Electronic Media Use of Electronic Media with Students Criminal History Background Checks Employee Arrests and Convictions Alcohol and Drug-Abuse Prevention Tobacco Products and E-Cigarette Use Fraud and Financial Impropriety Conflict of Interest Gifts and Favors Copyrighted Materials Associations and Political Activities Charitable Contributions Safety Possession of Firearms and Weapons Visitors in the Workplace Asbestos Management Plan Pest Control Treatment

4 Other Topics General Procedures Bad Weather Closing Emergencies Purchasing Procedures Name and Address Changes Personnel Records Building Use Termination of Employment Resignations Dismissal or Nonrenewal of Contract Employees Dismissal of Noncontract Employees Exit Interviews and Procedures Reports to Texas Education Agency Reports Concerning Court-Ordered Withholding Student Issues Equal Educational Opportunities Student Records Parent and Student Complaints Administering Medication to Students Dietary Supplements Psychotropic Drugs Student Conduct and Discipline Student Attendance Bullying Hazing Index

5 Employee Handbook Receipt Name: Campus/Department: I hereby acknowledge receipt of a copy of the Crandall ISD Employee Handbook. I agree to read the handbook and abide by the standards, policies, and procedures defined or referenced in this document. Employees have the option of receiving the handbook in electronic format or hard copy. The Employee Handbook can be accessed on the Crandall ISD website at under the link for Staff. Please indicate your choice by checking the appropriate box below: I choose to receive the employee handbook in electronic format and accept responsibility for accessing it according to the instructions provided. I choose to receive a hard copy of the employee handbook. The information in this handbook is subject to change. I understand that changes in district policies may supersede, modify, or render obsolete the information summarized in this book. As the district provides updated policy information, I accept responsibility for reading and abiding by the changes. I understand that no modifications to contractual relationships or alterations of at-will employment relationships are intended by this handbook. I understand that I have an obligation to inform my supervisor or department head of any changes in personal information such as phone number, address, etc. I also accept responsibility for contacting my supervisor or the Department of Human Resources if I have questions or concerns or need further explanation. Signature Date Please sign and date this receipt and forward it to your principal or supervisor. 5

6 Introduction The purpose of this handbook is to provide information that will help with questions and pave the way for a successful year. Not all district policies and procedures are included. Those that are have been summarized. Suggestions for additions and improvements to this handbook are welcome and may be sent to the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. This handbook is neither a contract nor a substitute for the official district policy manual. Nor is it intended to alter the at-will status of noncontract employees in any way. Rather, it is a guide to and a brief explanation of district policies and procedures related to employment. These policies and procedures can change at any time; these changes shall supersede any handbook provisions that are not compatible with the change. For more information, employees may refer to the policy codes that are associated with handbook topics, confer with their supervisor, or call the appropriate district office. District policies can be accessed on line at the following website: under the link Policy Online. 6

7 District Information Description of the District Crandall Independent School District (CISD) is a growing rural school district located 23 miles Southeast of Dallas along Highway 175. It includes 84.9 square miles and more than 3,100 students and over 350 employees. CISD is fully accredited (PK 12) by the Texas Education Agency and the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities. CISD recently celebrated 100 years of excellence. According to the deed of records which was filed on February 18, 1901, Twenty resident citizens of the village of Crandall requested an election for the purpose of incorporating for free school purpose as provided by law. The election was held on March 9, The citizens also voted at the same time to levy a tax of 0.25 cents on $100 to raise money so the district might float bonds to build a good school building. The building was completed in 1903 at a cost of $9,000. The school had four departments and five teachers with an enrollment of about 225 scholars. Mission Statement, Goals, and Objectives Policy AE In cooperation with parents, business leaders, and community members, the District shall provide a quality education for all students in a way that: 1. Provides a diversified curriculum involving problem-solving and technological advances to maximize learning opportunities. 2. Develops students' self-esteem, individual motivation, and personal responsibility/accountability. 3. Encourages a positive environment. The desired outcome is one in which every student shall be equipped for life-long learning, responsible citizenship, and productive employment in an ever-changing society. 7

8 Board of Trustees Policies BA, BB series, BD series, and BE series Texas law grants the board of trustees the power to govern and oversee the management of the district s schools. The board is the policy-making body within the district and has overall responsibility for the curriculum, school taxes, annual budget, employment of the superintendent and other professional staff, and facilities. The board has complete and final control over school matters within limits established by state and federal laws and regulations. The board of trustees is elected by the citizens of the district to represent the community s commitment to a strong educational program for the district s children. Board members are elected in May and serve three-year terms. Board members serve without compensation, must be qualified voters, and must reside in the district. Current board members include: Robyn Foster, President Omega Hawkins, Vice President Rick Harrell, Secretary Ryan Eskridge, Trustee Jennifer Hiser, Trustee Stacie Warren, Trustee Mike Wood, Trustee The board usually meets the third Monday of each month at 7:00 pm at the Raynes Administration Building. In the event that large attendance is anticipated, the board may meet in the Community Center. Special meetings may be called when necessary. A written notice of regular and special meetings will be posted on the district website and at the Raynes Administration Building at least 72 hours before the scheduled meeting time. The written notice will show the date, time, place, and subjects of each meeting. In emergencies, a meeting may be held with a two-hour notice. All meetings are open to the public. In certain circumstances, Texas law permits the board to go into a closed session from which the public and others are excluded. Closed session may occur for such things as discussing prospective gifts or donations, realproperty acquisition, certain personnel matters including employee complaints, security matters, student discipline, or consulting with attorneys regarding pending litigation. 8

9 Board Meeting Schedule for June 12, 2017 July 10, 2017 August 21, 2017 September 18, 2017 October 16, 2017 November 13, 2017 December 18, 2017 January 22, 2018 February 26, 2018 March 19, 2018 April 16, 2018 May 21, 2018 June 18, 2018 July 16,

10 CRANDALL ISD ADMINISTRATION - CENTRAL OFFICE Superintendent Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction Assistant Superintendent, Human Resource and Administration Chief Financial Officer Coordinator of CTE and Libraries Director of Assessment & Accountability Director of Athletics Director of ESL/Bilingual Services Director of Food Services Director of Informational Systems Director of Intervention Services Director of Maintenance Director of Public Relations Director of Transportation/ Safety and Security Dr. Robert Jolly Dr. Anjanette Murry Christy Starrett Mike White Janice Dowlearn Emily Christensen Joe Dale Cary Sharlene Belton-Gonzalez Earnest Lilly Scott Phipps DeAnn Baker Alan Lovell Erin McCann Scott Stewart 10

11 Helpful Contacts From time to time, employees have questions or concerns. If those questions or concerns cannot be answered by supervisors or at the campus or department level, the employee is encouraged to contact the appropriate department as listed below. Dietz Elementary School Sunnybrook Drive Heartland, TX Martin Elementary School (Mailing) P.O. Box 460 (Physical) W. Highway 175 Crandall, TX Walker Elementary School Abbey Road Heartland, TX Wilson Elementary School (Mailing) P.O. Box 430 (Physical) 300 S. Meadowcreek Crandall, TX Crandall Middle School (Mailing) P.O. Box 490 (Physical) 500 W. Lewis Crandall, TX Crandall High School (Mailing) P.O. Box 520 (Physical) FM 3039 Crandall, TX Crandall Compass Academy (Mailing) P.O. Box 400 (Physical) 400 W. Lewis Crandall, TX Administration Building (Mailing) P.O. Box 128 (Physical) 400 W. Lewis Crandall, TX

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13 Employment Equal Employment Opportunity Policies DAA, DIA Crandall ISD does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, military status, genetic information, or on any other basis prohibited by law. Additionally, the district does not discriminate against an employee or applicant who acts to oppose such discrimination or participates in the investigation of a complaint related to a discriminatory employment practice. Employment decisions will be made on the basis of each applicant s job qualifications, experience, and abilities. Employees with questions or concerns about discrimination based on sex, including sexual harassment should contact Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, the district Title IX coordinator. Employees with questions or concerns about discrimination on the basis of a disability should contact Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, the district ADA/Section 504 coordinator. Questions or concerns relating to discrimination for any other reason should be directed to the Superintendent. Employment after Retirement Policy DC Individuals receiving retirement benefits from the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) may be employed under certain circumstances on a full- or part-time basis without affecting their benefits, according to TRS rules and state law. Detailed information about employment after retirement is available in the TRS publication Employment After Retirement. Employees can contact TRS for additional information by calling or Information is also available on the TRS Website ( 13

14 Contract and Noncontract Employment Policy DC series State law requires the district to employ all full-time professional employees in positions requiring a certificate from the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) and nurses under probationary, term, or continuing contracts. Employees in all other positions are employed at-will or by a contract that is not subject to the procedures for nonrenewal or termination under Chapter 21 of the Texas Education Code. The paragraphs that follow provide a general description of the employment arrangements used by the district. Probationary Contracts. Nurses and full-time professional employees new to the district and employed in positions requiring SBEC certification must receive a probationary contract during their first year of employment. Former employees who are hired after a two-year lapse in district employment or employees who move to a position requiring a new class of certification may also be employed by probationary contract. Probationary contracts are one-year contracts. The probationary period for those who have been employed as a teacher in public education for at least five of the eight years preceding employment with the district may not exceed one school year. For those with less experience, the probationary period will be from one to three school years (i.e., three one-year contracts) with an optional fourth school year if the board determines it is doubtful whether a term or continuing contract should be given. Term Contracts. Full-time professionals employed in positions requiring certification and nurses will be employed by term contracts after they have successfully completed the probationary period. The terms and conditions of employment are detailed in the contract and employment policies. All employees will receive a copy of their contract. Employment policies can be accessed on line or copies will be provided upon request. Noncertified Professional and Administrative Employees. Employees in professional and administrative positions that do not require SBEC certification (such as noninstructional administrators) are employed by a one-year contract that is not subject to the provisions for nonrenewal or termination under the Texas Education Code. Paraprofessional and Auxiliary Employees. All paraprofessional and auxiliary employees, regardless of certification, are employed at will and not by contract. Employment is not for any specified term and may be terminated at any time by either the employee or the district. 14

15 Certification and Licenses Policies DBA, DF Professional employees whose positions require SBEC certification or professional license are responsible for taking actions to ensure their credentials do not lapse. Employees must submit documentation that they have passed the required certification exam and/or obtained or renewed their credentials to the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources in a timely manner. A certified employee s contract may be voided without due process and employment terminated if the individual does not hold a valid certificate or fails to fulfill the requirements necessary to renew or extend a temporary certificate, emergency certificate, probationary certificate, or permit. A contract may also be voided if SBEC suspends or revokes certification because of an individual s failure to comply with criminal history background checks. Contact the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources if you have any questions regarding certification or licensure requirements. Searches and Alcohol and Drug Testing Policy CQ, DHE Noninvestigatory searches in the workplace including accessing an employee s desk, file cabinets, or work area to obtain information needed for usual business purposes may occur when an employee is unavailable. Therefore, employees are hereby notified that they have no legitimate expectation of privacy in those places. In addition, the district reserves the right to conduct searches when there is reasonable cause to believe a search will uncover evidence of work-related misconduct. Such an investigatory search may include drug and alcohol testing if the suspected violation relates to drug or alcohol use. The district may search the employee, the employee s personal items, and work areas including district-owned computers, lockers, and private vehicles parked on district premises or work sites or used in district business. Employees Required to Have a Commercial Driver s License. Any employee whose duties require a commercial driver s license (CDL) is subject to drug and alcohol testing. This includes all drivers who operate a motor vehicle designed to transport 16 or more people counting the driver, drivers of large vehicles, or drivers of vehicles used in the transportation of hazardous materials. Teachers, coaches, or other employees who primarily perform duties other than driving are subject to testing requirements if their duties include driving a commercial motor vehicle. Drug testing will be conducted before an individual assumes driving responsibilities. Alcohol and drug tests will be conducted when reasonable suspicion exists, at random, when an employee returns to duty after engaging in prohibited conduct, and as a followup measure. Testing may be conducted following accidents. Return-to-duty and followup testing will be conducted if an employee who has violated the prohibited alcohol conduct standards or tested positive for alcohol or drugs is allowed to return to duty. 15

16 All employees required to have a CDL or who otherwise are subject to alcohol and drug testing will receive a copy of the district s policy, the testing requirements, and detailed information on alcohol and drug abuse and the availability of assistance programs. Employees with questions or concerns relating to alcohol and drug policies and related educational material should contact the Chief Financial Officer. Health Safety Training Policies DBA, DMA Certain employees who are involved in physical activities for students must maintain and submit to the district proof of current certification or training in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), concussoin, and extracurricular athletic activity safety. Certification or documentation of training must be issued by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, University Interscholastic League, or another organization that provides equivalent training and certification. Employees subject to this requirement must submit their certification or documentation to the Athletic Trainer by August 31 every school year. Head marching band directors, head coaches, or chief sponsors of an extracurricular athletic activity (including cheerleading and drill team) that is sponsored or sanctioned by the district or University Ibnterscholastic League (UIL) must maintain and submit to the district proof of current certification or training in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and extracurricular athletic activity safety. The nurses and the athletic trainer provide the required training. Certification documentation must be obtained or current before the beginning of each school year. Reassignments and Transfers Policy DK All personnel are subject to assignment and reassignment by the superintendent or designee when the superintendent or designee determines that the assignment or reassignment is in the best interest of the district. Reassignment is a transfer to another position, department, or facility that does not necessitate a change in the employment contract. Campus reassignments must be approved by the principal at the receiving campus except when reassignments are due to enrollment shifts or program changes. Extracurricular or supplemental duty assignments may be reassigned at any time unless an extracurricular or supplemental duty assignment is part of a dual-assignment contract. Employees who object to a reassignment may follow the district process for employee complaints as outlined in this handbook and district policy DGBA (Local). An employee with the required qualifications for a position may request a transfer to another campus or department. A written request for transfer must be completed and signed by the employee and the employee s supervisor. A teacher requesting a transfer 16

17 to another campus before the school year begins must submit his or her request by May 1st. Requests for transfer during the school year will be considered only when the change will not adversely affect students and after a replacement has been found. All transfer requests will be coordinated by the Department of Human Resources office and must be approved by the receiving supervisor. Workload and Work Schedules Policies DEA, DEAB, DK, DL Professional Employees. Professional employees and academic administrators are exempt from overtime pay and are employed on a 10-, 11-, or 12-month basis, according to the work schedules set by the district. A school calendar is adopted each year designating the work schedule for teachers and all school holidays. Notice of work schedules including start and end dates and scheduled holidays will be distributed each school year. Classroom teachers will have planning periods for instructional preparation including conferences. The schedule of planning periods is set at the campus level but must provide at least 450 minutes within each two-week period in blocks not less than 45 minutes within the instructional day. Teachers and librarians are entitled to a duty-free lunch period of at least 30 minutes. The district may require teachers to supervise students during lunch one day a week when no other personnel are available. Paraprofessional and Auxiliary Employees. Support employees are employed at will and receive notification of the required duty days, holidays, and hours of work for their position on an annual basis. Paraprofessional and auxiliary employees must be compensated for overtime and are not authorized to work in excess of their assigned schedule without prior approval from their supervisor. See Overtime Compensation on page 18 for additional information. Breaks for Expression of Breast Milk Policies DEA, DEAB, DG The district supports the practice of expressing breast milk and makes reasonable accommodations for the needs of employees who express breast milk. A place, other than a multiple user bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from other employees and the public where the employee can express breast milk will be provided. A reasonable amount of break time will be provided when the employee has a need to express milk. For nonexempt employees, these breaks are unpaid and are not counted as hours worked. Employees should meet with their supervisor to discuss their needs and arrange break times. 17

18 Notification to Parents Regarding Qualifications Policies DK, DBA In schools receiving Title I funds, the district is required by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to notify parents at the beginning of each school year that they may request information regarding the professional qualifications of their child s teacher. ESSA also requires that parents be notified if their child has been assigned or taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher does not meet applicable state certification or licensure requirements. Texas law requires that parents be notified if their child is assigned for more than 30 consecutive instructional days to a teacher who does not hold an appropriate teaching certificate. Inappropriately certified or uncertified teachers include individuals on an emergency permit (including individuals waiting to take a certification exam) and individuals who do not hold any certificate or permit. Information relating to teacher certification will be made available to the public upon request. Employees who have questions about their certification status can call the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. Outside Employment and Tutoring Policy DBD Employees are required to disclose in writing to their immediate supervisor any outside employment that may create a potential conflict of interest with their assigned duties and responsibilities or the best interest of the district. Supervisors will consider outside employment on a case-by-case basis and determine whether it should be prohibited because of a conflict of interest. Performance Evaluation Policy DN series Evaluation of an employee s job performance is a continuous process that focuses on improvement. Performance evaluation is based on an employee s assigned job duties and other job-related criteria. All employees will participate in the evaluation process with their assigned supervisor at least annually. Written evaluations will be completed on forms approved by the district. Reports, correspondence, and memoranda also can be used to document performance information. All employees will receive a copy of their written evaluation, participate in a performance conference with their supervisor, and have the opportunity to respond to the evaluation. Employee Involvement Policies BQA, BQB At both the campus and district levels, Crandall ISD offers opportunities for input in matters that affect employees and influence the instructional effectiveness of the district. 18

19 As part of the district s planning and decision-making process, employees are elected to serve on district- or campus-level advisory committees. Plans and detailed information about the shared decision-making process are available in each campus office or from the Superintendent. Staff Development Policy DMA Staff development activities are organized to meet the needs of employees and the district. Staff development for instructional personnel is predominantly campus-based, related to achieving campus performance objectives, addressed in the campus improvement plan, and approved by a campus-level advisory committee. Staff development for noninstructional personnel is designed to meet specific licensing requirements (e.g., bus drivers) and continued employee skill development. Individuals holding renewable SBEC certificates are responsible for obtaining the required training hours and maintaining appropriate documentation. 19

20 Compensation and Benefits Salaries, Wages, and Stipends Policies DEA, DEAA, DEAB Employees are paid in accordance with administrative guidelines and an established pay structure. The district s pay plans are reviewed by the administration each year and adjusted as needed. All district positions are classified as exempt or nonexempt according to federal law. Professional employees and academic administrators are generally classified as exempt and are paid monthly salaries. They are not entitled to overtime compensation. Other employees are generally classified as non-exempt and are paid an hourly wage or salary and receive compensatory time or overtime pay for each hour worked beyond 40 in a workweek. (See Overtime Compensation, page 21.) All employees will receive written notice of their pay and work schedules before the start of each school year. Classroom teachers, full-time librarians, full-time nurses, and fulltime counselors will be paid no less than the minimum state salary schedule. Contract employees who perform extracurricular or supplemental duties may be paid a stipend in addition to their salary according to the district s extra-duty pay schedule. Employees should contact the Business Office for more information about the district s pay schedules or their own pay. Paychecks All professional and salaried employees are paid monthly. Hourly employees are paid every two weeks. Paychecks will not be released to any person other than the district employee named on the check without the employee s written authorization. An employee s payroll statement contains detailed information including deductions, withholding information, and the amount of leave accumulated. The schedule of pay dates for the school year follows: July 25, 2017 August 25, 2017 September 25, 2017 October 25, 2017 November 17, 2017 December 19, 2017 January 25, 2018 February 23, 2018 March 23, 2018 April 25, 2018 May 25, 2018 June 25,

21 Automatic Payroll Deposit Employees can have their paychecks electronically deposited into a designated account. A notification period of one month is necessary to activate this service. Contact the Business Office for more information about the automatic payroll deposit service. Payroll Deductions Policy CFEA The district is required to make the following automatic payroll deductions: Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) or Social Security employee contributions Federal income tax required for all full-time employees Medicare tax (applicable only to employees hired after March 31, 1986) Child support and spousal maintenance, if applicable Delinquent federal education loan payments, if applicable Other payroll deductions employees may elect include deductions for the employee s share of premiums for health, dental, life, and vision insurance; annuities; and higher education savings plans. Employees also may request payroll deduction for payment of membership dues to professional organizations and donations to the CISD Foundation and/or Black & Gold Foundation. Salary deductions are automatically made for unauthorized or unpaid leave. Overtime Compensation Policy DEAB The district compensates overtime for nonexempt employees in accordance with federal wage and hour laws. Only nonexempt employees (hourly employees and paraprofessional employees) are entitled to overtime compensation. Nonexempt employees are not authorized to work beyond their normal work schedule without advance approval from their supervisor. Overtime is legally defined as all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek and is not measured by the day or by the employee s regular work schedule. Nonexempt employees that are paid on a salary basis are paid for a 40-hour workweek and do not earn additional pay unless they work more than 40 hours. For the purpose of calculating overtime, a workweek begins at 12:0l am Saturday and ends at midnight Friday. Nonexempt employees that are paid on a salary basis are paid for a 40-hour workweek and do not earn additional pay unless they work more than 40 hours. 21

22 Employees may be compensated for overtime at time-and-a-half rate with compensatory time off (comp time) or direct pay. The following applies to all nonexempt employees: Employees can accumulate up to 40 hours of comp time. Comp time must be used in the duty year that it is earned. Use of comp time may be at the employee s request with supervisor approval, as workload permits, or at the supervisor s direction. An employee may be required to use comp time before using available paid leave (e.g., sick, personal, vacation). Weekly time records will be maintained on all nonexempt employees for the purpose of wage and salary administration. Travel Expense Reimbursement Policy DEE Before any travel expenses are incurred by an employee, the employee s supervisor and Business Office must give approval. For approved travel, employees will be reimbursed for mileage and other travel expenditures according to the current rate schedule established by the district. Employees must submit receipts, to the extent possible, to be reimbursed for expenses other than mileage. Itemized meal receipts are required when using federal money. Health, Dental, and Life Insurance Policy CRD Group health insurance coverage is provided through TRS-ActiveCare, the statewide public school employee health insurance program. The district s contribution to employee insurance premiums is determined annually by the board of trustees. Employees eligible for health insurance coverage include the following: Employees who are active, contributing TRS members Employees who are not contributing TRS members and who are employed for 10 or more regularly scheduled hours per week TRS retirees who are enrolled in TRS-Care (retiree health insurance program) are not eligible to participate in TRS-ActiveCare. The insurance plan year is from September 1 through August 31. Current employees can make changes in their insurance coverage during open enrollment each year or when they experience a qualifying event (e.g., marriage, divorce, birth). Detailed descriptions of insurance coverage, employee cost, and eligibility requirements are provided to all employees in a separate booklet. Employees should contact Business Office for more information. 22

23 The insurance plan year is from September 1 through August 31. New employees must complete enrollment forms within the first 30 days of employment. Current employees can make changes in their insurance coverage during open enrollment each year. Detailed descriptions of insurance coverage, employee cost, and eligibility requirements are provided to all employees in a separate booklet. Employees should contact the Business Office for more information. Supplemental Insurance Benefits Policy CRD At their own expense, employees may enroll in supplemental insurance programs for Dental, disability, vision, life, cancer, critical illness, and flexible spending accounts for medical reimbursements or dependent care. Premiums for these programs can be paid by payroll deduction. Employees should contact the Benefits Specialist for more information. Cafeteria Plan Benefits (Section 125) Employees may be eligible to participate in the Cafeteria Plan (Section 125) and, under IRS regulations, must either accept or reject this benefit. This plan enables eligible employees to pay certain insurance premiums on a pretax basis (i.e., disability, accidental death and dismemberment, cancer and dread disease, dental, and additional term life insurance). A third-party administrator handles employee claims made on these accounts. New employees must accept or reject this benefit during their first month of employment. All employees must accept or reject this benefit on an annual basis and during the specified time period. Workers Compensation Insurance Policy CRE The district, in accordance with state law, provides workers compensation benefits to employees who suffer a work-related illness or are injured on the job. The district has workers compensation coverage from TASB, effective September 1st. Benefits help pay for medical treatment and make up for part of the income lost while recovering. Specific benefits are prescribed by law depending on the circumstances of each case. All work-related accidents or injuries should be reported immediately to the Business Office. Employees who are unable to work because of a work-related injury will be notified of their rights and responsibilities under the Texas Labor Code. See Workers Compensation Benefits for information on use of paid leave for such absences. 23

24 Unemployment Compensation Insurance Policy CRF Employees who have been laid off or terminated through no fault of their own may be eligible for unemployment compensation benefits. Employees are not eligible to collect unemployment benefits during regularly scheduled breaks in the school year or the summer months if they have employment contracts or reasonable assurance of returning to service. Employees with questions about unemployment benefits should contact the Business Office. Teacher Retirement Policy DEG All personnel employed on a regular basis for at least four and one-half months are members of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS). Substitute s not receiving TRS service retirement benefits who work at least 90 days a year are eligible to purchase a year of creditable service in TRS. TRS provides members with an annual statement of their account showing all deposits and the total account balance for the year ending August 31, as well as an estimate of their retirement benefits. Employees who plan to retire under TRS should notify TRS as soon as possible. Information on the application procedures for TRS benefits is available from TRS at Teacher Retirement System of Texas, 1000 Red River Street, Austin, TX , or call or TRS information is also available on the web ( See page 14 for information on restrictions of employment of retirees in Texas public schools. 24

25 Leaves and Absences Policies DEC, DECA, DECB The district offers employees paid and unpaid leaves of absence in times of personal need. This handbook describes the basic types of leave available and restrictions on leaves of absence. Employees who expect to be absent for an extended period of more than five days should call Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for information about applicable leave benefits, payment of insurance premiums, and requirements for communicating with the district. Paid leave must be used in ½ day increments. Earned comp time must be used before any available paid state and local leave. Unless an employee requests a different order, available paid state and local leave will be used in the following order: Local leave State sick leave accumulated before the school year State personal leave Sick leave pool days Employees must follow district and department or campus procedures to report or request any leave of absence and complete the appropriate form or certification. Immediate Family. For purposes of leave other than family and medical leave, immediate family is defined as the following: Spouse Son or daughter, including a biological, adopted, or foster child, a son- or daughter-in-law, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child for whom the employee stands in loco parentis. Parent, stepparent, parent-in-law, or other individual who stands in loco parentis to the employee. Sibling, stepsibling, and sibling-in-law Grandparent and grandchild Any person residing in the employee s household at the time of illness or death For purposes of family and medical leave, the definition of family is limited to spouse, parent, son or daughter, and next of kin. The definition of these are found in Policy DECA (LEGAL). Medical Certification. Any employee who is absent more than five days because of a personal or family illness must submit a medical certification from a qualified health care provider confirming the specific dates of the illness, the reason for the illness, and in the case of personal illness the employee s fitness to return to work. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) prohibits covered employers from requesting or requiring genetic information of an individual or family 25

26 member of the individual, except as specifically allowed by this law. To comply with this law, we ask that employees and health care providers do not provide any genetic information in any medical certification. Genetic information, as defined by GINA, includes an individual s family medical history, the results of an individual s or family member s genetic tests, the fact that an individual or an individual s family member sought or received genetic services, and genetic information of a fetus carried by an individual or an individual s family member or an embryo lawfully held by an individual or family member receiving assistive reproductive services. Continuation of Health Insurance. Employees on an approved leave of absence other than family and medical leave may continue their insurance benefits at their own expense. Health insurance benefits for employees on paid leave and leave designated under the Family and Medical Leave Act will be paid by the district as they were prior to the leave. Otherwise, the district does not pay any portion of insurance premiums for employees who are on unpaid leave. Under TRS-Active Care rules, an employee is no longer eligible for insurance through the district after six months of unpaid leave other than FML. If an employee s unpaid leave extends for more than six months, the district will provide the employee with notice of COBRA rights. Personal Leave State law entitles all employees to five days of state paid personal leave per year. Personal leave is available for use at the beginning of the year. A day of personal leave is equivalent to an assigned workday. State personal leave accumulates without limit, is transferable to other Texas school districts, and generally transfers to education service centers. Personal leave may be used for two general purposes: nondiscretionary and discretionary. Nondiscretionary. Leave taken for personal or family illness, family emergency, a death in the family, or active military service is considered nondiscretionary leave. Reasons for this type of leave allow very little, if any, advance planning. Nondiscretionary leave may be used in the same manner as state sick leave. Discretionary. Leave taken at an employee s discretion that can be scheduled in advance is considered discretionary leave. An employee wishing to take discretionary personal leave must submit a request to his or her principal or supervisor five days in advance of the anticipated absence. This absence must also be input to Aesop as normal absences are required. The effect of the employee s absence on the educational program or department operations, as well as the availability of substitutes, will be considered by the principal or supervisor. Leave Proration. If an employee separates from employment with the district before his or her last duty day of the year, or begins employment after the first duty day, state 26

27 personal leave will be prorated based on the actual time employed. When an employee separates from employment before the last duty day of the school year, the employee s final paycheck will be reduced by the amount of state personal leave the employee used beyond his or her pro rata entitlement for the school year. State Sick Leave State sick leave accumulated before 1995 is available for use and may be transferred to other school districts in Texas. State sick leave can be used only in whole or half-day increments, except when coordinated with family and medical leave taken on an intermittent or reduced-schedule basis or when coordinated with workers compensation benefits. State sick leave may be used for the following reasons only: Employee illness Illness in the employee s immediate family Family emergency (i.e., natural disasters or life-threatening situations) Death in the immediate family Active military service Local Leave All employees shall earn three workdays of paid local leave per school year in accordance with Administration regulations. Local leave shall be cumulative. Local leave shall be used according to the terms and conditions of state personal leave as outlined in policy. See DEC (Local) STATE Extended Leave After all available state and local leave days have been exhausted, a full-time employee shall be granted in a school year a maximum of ten leave days of extended sick leave to be used for the employee s catastrophic illness or injury, including pregnancy-related illness or injury, or for absences related to the catastrophic illness or injury of a member of the employee s immediate family. A written request for extended sick leave must be accompanied by medical certification of the illness or injury. For professional employees, the average daily rate of pay of a certified substitute or 50 percent of the employee s daily rate (whichever is less) shall be deducted for each day of extended sick leave taken, whether or not a substitute is employed. For employees other than professionals, the daily rate of pay of a non-degreed substitute or 50 percent of the employee s daily rate (whichever is less) shall be deducted for each day of extended sick leave taken, whether or not a substitute is employed. 27

28 Sick Leave Bank The District shall establish a sick leave bank that employees may join through contribution of local leave. Leave contributed to the bank shall be solely for the use of participating employees. An employee who is a member of the bank may request leave from the bank if the employee or a member of the employee s immediate family experiences a catastrophic illness or injury and the employee has exhausted all paid leave. If the employee is unable to request leave from the sick leave bank, a member of the employee s family or the employee s supervisor may submit the request. The Superintendent or designee shall develop regulations for the operation of the sick leave bank that address the following: 1. Membership in the sick leave bank, including the number of days an employee must contribute to become a member; 2. Procedures to request leave from the sick leave bank; 3. The maximum number of days per school year a member employee may receive from the sick leave bank; 4. The committee or administrator authorized to consider requests for leave from the sick leave bank and criteria for granting requests; and 5. Other procedures deemed necessary for the operation of the sick leave bank. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) General Provisions The following text is from the federal notice, Employee Rights and Responsibilities Under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Specific information that the district has adopted to implement the FMLA follows this general notice. Leave Entitlements. Eligible employees who work for covered employer can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period for the following reason: The birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care; To bond with a child (leave must be taken within 1 year of the child s birth or placement); To care for the employee s spouse, child, or parent who has a qualifying serious health condition; For the employee s own qualifying serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the employee s job; An eligible employee who is covered servicemember s spouse, child, parent, or next of kin may also take up to 26 weeks of FMLA leave in a single 12-month period to care for the servicemember with a serious injury or illness. 28

29 An employee does not need to use leave in one block. When it is medically necessary or otherwise permitted, employees may take leave intermittently or on a reduced schedule. Employees may choose, or an employer may require, use of accrued paid leave while taking FMLA leave. If an employee substitutes accrued paid leave for FMLA leave, the employee must comply with the employer s normal paid leave policies. Benefits and Protections. While employees are on FMLA leave, employers must continue health insurance coverage as if the employees were not on leave. Upon return from FMLA leave, most employees must be restored to the same job or one nearly identical to it with equivalent pay, benefits, and other employment terms and conditions. Eligibility Requirements. An employee who works for a covered employer must meet three criteria in order to be eligible for FMLA leave. The employee must: Have worked for the employer for at least 12 months; Have a least 1,250 hours of service in the 12 months before taking leave;* and Work at a location where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles of the employee s worksite. *Special hours of service eligibility requirements apply to airline flight crew employees. Requesting Leave. Generally, employees must give 30-days advance notice of the need for FMLA leave. If it is not possible to give 30-day s notice, an employee must notify the employer as soon as possible and, generally, follow the employer s usual procedures. Employees do not have to share a medical diagnosis, but must provide enough information to the employer so it can determine if the leave qualifies for FMLA protecting. Sufficient information could include informing and employer that the employee is or will be unable to perform his or her job functions, that a family member cannot perform daily activities, or that hospitalization or continuing medical treatment is necessary. Employees must inform the employer if the need for leave is for a reason for which FMLA leave was previously taken or certified. 29

30 Employers can require a certification or periodic recertification supporting the need for leave. If the employer determines that the certification is incomplete, it must provide a written notice indicating what additional information is required. Employer Responsibilities. Once an employer becomes aware that an employee s need for leave is for a reason that may qualify under the FMLA, the employer must notify the employee if he or she is eligible for FMLA leave and, if eligible, must also provide a notice of rights and responsibilities under the FMLA. If the employee is not eligible, the employer must provide a reason for ineligibility. Employers must notify it employees if leave will be designated as FMLA leave, and if so how much leave will be designated as FMLA leave. Enforcement. Employees may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, or may bring a private lawsuit against an employer. The FMLA does not affect any federal or state law prohibiting discrimination or supersede any state or local law or collective bargaining agreement that provides greater family or medical leave rights. For additional information: US-WAGE ( ) TTY: Local Family and Medical Leave Provisions Eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in the 12-month period beginning on the first duty day of the school year Use of Paid Leave. FML runs concurrently with accrued sick and personal leave, temporary disability leave, compensatory time, assault leave, and absences due to a work-related illness or injury. The district will designate the leave as FML, if applicable, and notify the employee that accumulated leave will run concurrently. Combined Leave for Spouses. Spouses who are employed by the district are limited to a combined total of 12 weeks of FML to care for a parent with a serious health condition; or for the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child. Military caregiver leave for spouses is limited to a combined total of 26 weeks. 30

31 Intermittent Leave. When medically necessary or in the case of a qualifying exigency, an employee may take leave intermittently or on a reduced schedule. The district does not permit the use of intermittent or reduced-schedule leave for the care of a newborn child or for adoption or placement of a child with the employee. Fitness for Duty. An employee that takes FML due to the employee s own serious health condition shall provide, before resuming work, a fitness-for-duty certification from the health care provider. If certification of the employee s ability to perform essential job function is required, the district shall provide a list of essential job functions (e.g., job description) to the employee with the FML designation notice to share with the health care provider. Reinstatement. An employee returning to work at the end of FML will be returned to the same position held when the leave began or to an equivalent positon with equivalent employment benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment. In certain cases, instructional employees desiring to return to work at or near the conclusion of a semester may be required to continue on family and medical leave until the end of the semester. The additional time off is not counted against the employee s FML entitlement, and the district will maintain the employees group health insurance and reinstate the employee at the end of the leave according the procedures outlined in policy (see DECA (LEGAL)). Failure to Return. If, at the expiration of FML, the employee is able to return to work but chooses not to do so, the district may require the employee to reimburse the district s share of insurance premiums paid during any portion of FML when the employee was on unpaid leave. If the employee fails to return to work for a reason beyond the employee s control, such as a continuing personal or family serious health condition or a spouse being unexpectedly transferred more than 75 miles from the district, the district may not require the employee to reimburse the district s share of premiums paid. District Contact. Employees that require FML or have questions should contact the Benefits Specialist for details on eligibility, requirements, and limitations. Temporary Disability Leave Certified Employees. Any full-time employee whose position requires certification from the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) is eligible for temporary disability leave. The purpose of temporary disability leave is to provide job protection to full-time educators who cannot work for an extended period of time because of a mental or physical disability of a temporary nature. Temporary disability leave must be taken as a continuous block of time. It may not be taken intermittently or on a reduced schedule. Pregnancy and conditions related to pregnancy are treated the same as any other temporary disability. 31

32 Employees must request approval for temporary disability leave. An employee s notification of need for extended absence due to the employee s own medical condition shall be accepted as a request for temporary disability leave. The request must be accompanied by a physician s statement confirming the employee s inability to work and estimating a probable date of return. If disability leave is approved, the length of leave is no longer than 180 calendar days. If an employee is placed on temporary disability leave involuntarily, he or she has the right to request a hearing before the board of trustees. The employee may protest the action and present additional evidence of fitness to work. When an employee is ready to return to work, the Superintendent or the Superintendent s designee should be notified at least 30 days in advance. The returnto-work notice must be accompanied by a physician s statement confirming that the employee is able to resume regular duties. Certified employees returning from leave will be reinstated to the school to which they were previously assigned if an appropriate position is available. If an appropriate position is not available, the employee may be assigned to another campus, subject to the approval of the campus principal. If a position is not available before the end of the school year, the employee will be reinstated to a position at the original campus at the beginning of the following school year. Workers Compensation Benefits An employee absent from duty because of a job-related illness or injury may be eligible for workers compensation weekly income benefits if the absence exceeds seven calendar days. An employee receiving workers compensation wage benefits for a job-related illness or injury may choose to use accumulated sick leave or any other paid leave benefits. An employee choosing to use paid leave will not receive workers compensation weekly income benefits until all paid leave is exhausted or to the extent that paid leave does not equal the pre-illness or -injury wage. If the use of paid leave is not elected, then the employee will only receive workers compensation wage benefits for any absence resulting from a work-related illness or injury, which may not equal his or her pre-illness or -injury wage. Assault Leave Assault leave provides extended job income and benefits protection to an employee who is injured as the result of a physical assault suffered during the performance of his or her job. An injury is treated as an assault if the person causing the injury could be prosecuted for assault or could not be prosecuted only because that person s age or mental capacity renders the person nonresponsible for purposes of criminal liability. 32

33 An employee who is physically assaulted at work may take all the leave time medically necessary (up to two years) to recover from the physical injuries he or she sustained. At the request of an employee, the district will immediately assign the employee to assault leave. Days of leave granted under the assault leave provision will not be deducted from accrued personal leave and must be coordinated with workers compensation benefits. Upon investigation the district may change the assault leave status and charge leave used against the employee s accrued paid leave. The employee s pay will be deducted if accrued paid leave is not available. Jury Duty The district provides paid leave to employees who are summoned to jury duty. Employees who report to the court fro jury duty may keep and compensation the court provides. An employee should report a summons for jury duty to his or her supervisor as soon as it is received and may be required to provide the district a copy of the summons to document the need for leave. An employee may be required to report back to work as soon as they are released from jury duty. The supervisor may condsider the travel time required and the nature of the individual s position when determining the need to report to work. A copy of the release from jury duty or of documentation of time spent at the court may be required. Compliance with a Subpoena Employees will be paid while on leave to comply with a valid subpoena to appear in a civil, criminal, legislative, or administrative proceeding and will not be required to use personal leave. Employees may be required to submit documentation of their need for leave for court appearances. Truancy Court Appearances An employee who is a parent or guardian of a child and any court-appointed guardian ad litem of a child who is required to miss work to attend a truancy court hearing may use personal leave or compensatory time for the absence. Employees who do not have paid leave available will be docked for any absence required because of the court appearance. Religious Observance The district will reasonably accommodate an employee s request for absence for a religious holiday or observance. Accommodations such as changes to work schedules or approving a day of absence will be made unless they pose an undue hardship to the district. The employee may use any accumulated personal leave for this purpose. Employees who have exhausted applicable paid leave may be granted an unpaid day of absence. 33

34 Military Leave Paid Leave for Military Service. Any employee who is a member of the Texas National Guard, Texas State Guard, reserve component of the United States Armed Forces, or a memer of a state or federally authorized Urban Search and Rescue Team is entitled to paid leave for authorized training or duty orders. Paid military leave will not exceed 15 days each federal fiscal year (October 1 September 30). In addition, an employee is entitled to use available state and local personal or sick leave during a time of active military service. Reemployment after Military Leave. Employees who leave the district to enter into the United States uniformed services or who are ordered to active duty as a member of the military force of any state (e.g., National or State Guard) may return to employment if they are honorably discharged. Employees who wish to return to the district will be reemployed provided they can be qualified to perform the required duties. To be eligible for reemployment, employees must provide notice of their obligation or intent to perform military service, provide evidence of honorable discharge or release, and submit an application for reemployment within the time specified by law to the Department of Human Resources. In most cases, the length of federal military service cannot exceed five years. Continuation of Health Insurance. Employees who perform service in the uniformed services may elect to continue their health plan coverage at their own cost for a period not to exceed 24 months. Employees should contact the Business Office for details on eligibility, requirements, and limitations. 34

35 Employee Relations and Communications Employee Recognition and Appreciation Continuous efforts are made throughout the year to recognize employees who make an extra effort to contribute to the success of the district. Employees are recognized at board meetings, in the district newsletter, and through special events and activities. Recognition and appreciation activities also include Teacher/Employee of the Month and Teacher of the Year Awards for each campus. District Communications Throughout the school year, the Public Relations office publishes newsletters, brochures, fliers, calendars, news releases, and other communication materials. These publications offer employees and the community information pertaining to school activities and achievements. 35

36 Complaints and Grievances Policy DGBA In an effort to hear and resolve employee concerns or complaints in a timely manner and at the lowest administrative level possible, the board has adopted an orderly grievance process. Employees are encouraged to discuss their concerns or complaints with their supervisors or an appropriate administrator at any time. The formal process provides all employees with an opportunity to be heard up to the highest level of management if they are dissatisfied with an administrative response. Once all administrative procedures are exhausted, employees can bring concerns or complaints to the board of trustees. For ease of reference, the district s policy concerning the process of bringing concerns and complaints is reprinted as follows: 36

37 Standards of Conduct Policy DH Employee Conduct and Welfare All employees are expected to work together in a cooperative spirit to serve the best interests of the district and to be courteous to students, one another, and the public. Employees are expected to observe the following standards of conduct: Recognize and respect the rights of students, parents, other employees, and members of the community. Maintain confidentiality in all matters relating to students and coworkers. Report to work according to the assigned schedule. Notify their immediate supervisor in advance or as early as possible in the event that they must be absent or late. Unauthorized absences, chronic absenteeism, tardiness, and failure to follow procedures for reporting an absence may be cause for disciplinary action. Know and comply with department and district policies and procedures. Express concerns, complaints, or criticism through appropriate channels. Observe all safety rules and regulations and report injuries or unsafe conditions to a supervisor immediately. Use district time, funds, and property for authorized district business and activities only. All district employees should perform their duties in accordance with state and federal law, district policies and procedures, and ethical standards. Violation of policies, regulations, or guidelines may result in disciplinary action, including termination. Alleged incidents of certain misconduct by educators, including having a criminal record, must be reported to SBEC not later than the seventh day after the superintendent knew of the incident. See Reports to the Texas Education Agency, page 51 for additional information. The Educators Code of Ethics, adopted by the State Board for Educator Certification, which all district employees must adhere to, is reprinted below: Statement of Purpose Texas Educators Code of Ethics The Texas educator shall comply with standard practices and ethical conduct toward students, professional colleagues, school officials, parents, and members of the community and shall safeguard academic freedom. The Texas educator, in maintaining the dignity of the profession, shall respect and obey the law, demonstrate personal integrity, and exemplify honesty and good moral character. The Texas educator, in exemplifying ethical relations with colleagues, shall extend just and equitable treatment to all members of the profession. The Texas educator, in accepting a position of public 37

38 trust, shall measure success by the progress of each student toward realization of his or her potential as an effective citizen. The Texas educator, in fulfilling responsibilities in the community, shall cooperate with parents and others to improve the public schools of the community. (19 TAC 247.1(b)) Professional Standards 1. Professional Ethical Conduct, Practices, and Performance Standard 1.1 The educator shall not intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly engage in deceptive practices regarding official policies of the school district, educational institution, educator preparation program, the Texas Education Agency, or the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) and its certification process. Standard 1.2 The educator shall not knowingly misappropriate, divert, or use monies, personnel, property, or equipment committed to his or her charge for personal gain or advantage. Standard 1.3 The educator shall not submit fraudulent requests for reimbursement, expenses, or pay. Standard 1.4 The educator shall not use institutional or professional privileges for personal or partisan advantage. Standard 1.5 The educator shall neither accept nor offer gratuities, gifts, or favors that impair professional judgment or to obtain special advantage. This standard shall not restrict the acceptance of gifts or tokens offered and accepted openly from students, parents of students, or other persons or organizations in recognition or appreciation of service. Standard 1.6 The educator shall not falsify records, or direct or coerce others to do so. Standard 1.7 The educator shall comply with state regulations, written local school board policies, and other state and federal laws. Standard 1.8 The educator shall apply for, accept, offer, or assign a position or a responsibility on the basis of professional qualifications. Standard 1.9 The educator shall not make threats of violence against school district employees, school board members, students, or parents of students. Standard 1.10 The educator shall be of good moral character and be worthy to instruct or supervise the youth of this state. Standard 1.11 The educator shall not intentionally or knowingly misrepresent his or her employment history, criminal history, and/or disciplinary record when applying for subsequent employment. Standard 1.12 The educator shall refrain from the illegal use or distribution of controlled substances and/or abuse of prescription drugs and toxic inhalants. Standard 1.13 The educator shall not consume alcoholic beverages on school property or during school activities when students are present. 38

39 2. Ethical Conduct toward Professional Colleagues Standard 2.1 The educator shall not reveal confidential health or personnel information concerning colleagues unless disclosure serves lawful professional purposes or is required by law. Standard 2.2 The educator shall not harm others by knowingly making false statements about a colleague or the school system. Standard 2.3 The educator shall adhere to written local school board policies and state and federal laws regarding the hiring, evaluation, and dismissal of personnel. Standard 2.4 The educator shall not interfere with a colleague s exercise of political, professional, or citizenship rights and responsibilities. Standard 2.5 The educator shall not discriminate against or coerce a colleague on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, disability, family status, or sexual orientation. Standard 2.6 The educator shall not use coercive means or promise of special treatment in order to influence professional decisions or colleagues. Standard 2.7 The educator shall not retaliate against any individual who has filed a complaint with the SBEC or provides information for a disciplinary investigation or proceeding under this chapter. 3. Ethical Conduct toward Students Standard 3.1 The educator shall not reveal confidential information concerning students unless disclosure serves lawful professional purposes or is required by law. Standard 3.2 The educator shall not intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly treat a student or minor in a manner that adversely affects or endangers the learning, physical health, mental health, or safety of the student or minor. Standard 3.3 The educator shall not intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly misrepresent facts regarding a student. Standard 3.4 The educator shall not exclude a student from participation in a program, deny benefits to a student, or grant an advantage to a student on the basis of race, color, gender, disability, national origin, religion, family status, or sexual orientation. Standard 3.5 The educator shall not intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly engage in physical mistreatment, neglect, or abuse of a student or minor. Standard 3.6 The educator shall not solicit or engage in sexual conduct or a romantic relationship with a student or minor. Standard 3.7 The educator shall not furnish alcohol or illegal/unauthorized drugs to any person under 21 years of age unless the educator is a parent or guardian of that child or knowingly allow any person under 21 years of age unless the educator is a parent or guardian of that child to consume alcohol or illegal/unauthorized drugs in the presence of the educator. Standard 3.8 The educator shall maintain appropriate professional educator-student relationships and boundaries based on a reasonably prudent educator standard. Standard 3.9 The educator shall refrain from inappropriate communication with a student or minor, including, but not limited to, electronic communication such as cell phone, text messaging, , instant messaging, blogging, or other social network 39

40 communication. Factors that may be considered in assessing whether the communication is inappropriate include, but are not limited to: i) the nature, purpose, timing, and amount of the communication; ii) the subject matter of the communication; iii) whether the communication was made openly or the educator attempted to conceal the communication; iv) whether the communication could be reasonably interpreted as soliciting sexual contact or a romantic relationship; v) whether the communication was sexually explicit; and vi) whether the communication involved discussion(s) of the physical or sexual attractiveness or the sexual history, activities, preferences, or fantasies of either the educator or the student. Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Policies DH, DIA Employees shall not engage in prohibited harassment, including sexual harassment, of other employees, unpaid interns, student teachers, or students. While acting in the course of their employment, employees shall not engage in prohibited harassment of other persons including board members, vendors, contractors, volunteers, or parents. A substantiated charge of harassment will result in disciplinary action. Individualswho believe they have been discriminated or retaliated against or harassed are encouraged to promptly report such incidents to the campus principal, supervisor, or appropriate district official. If the campus principal, supervisor, or district official is the subject of a complaint, the complaint should be made directly to the superintendent. A complaint against the superintendent may be made directly to the board. The district s policy that includes definitions and procedures for reporting and investigating discrimination, harassment, and retaliation is reprinted below: Harassment of Students Policies DH, DHB, FFG, FFH Sexual and other harassment of students by employees are forms of discrimination and are prohibited by law. Romantic or inappropriate social relationships between students and district employees are prohibited. Employees who suspect a student may have experienced prohibited harassment are obligated to report their concerns to the campus principal or other appropriate district official. All allegations of prohibited harassment of a student by an employee or adult will be reported to the student s parents and promptly investigated. An employee who knows of or suspects child abuse must also report his or 40

41 her knowledge or suspicion to the appropriate authorities, as required by law. See Reporting Suspected Child Abuse, page 38 and Bullying, page 54 for additional information. The district s policy that includes definitions and procedures for reporting and investigating harassment of students is reprinted below: Reporting Suspected Child Abuse Policies DG, DH, DHB, FFG, GRA All employees are required by state law to report any suspected child abuse or neglect, as defined by Texas Family Code , to a law enforcement agency, Child Protective Services, or appropriate state agency (e.g., state agency operating, licensing, certifying, or registering a facility) within 48 hours of the event that led to the suspicion. Employees are also required to make a report if they have cause to believe that an adult was a victim of abuse or neglect as a child and they determine in good faith that the disclosure of the information is necessary to protect the health and safety of another child or disabled person. Reports to Texas Department of Family And Protective Services can be made to or to the Texas Abuse Hotline ( ). State law specifies that an employee may not delegate to or rely on another person or adminsistrator to make the report. Under state law, any person reporting or assisting in the investigation of reported child abuse or neglect is immune from liability unless the report is made in bad faith or with malicious intent. In addition, the district is prohibited from retaliating against an employee who, in good faith, reports child abuse or neglect or who participates in an investigation regarding an allegation of child abuse or neglect. An employee s failure to report suspected child abuse may result in prosecution as a Class A misdemeanor. In addition, a certified employee s failure to report suspected child abuse may result in disciplinary procedures by SBEC for a violation of the Texas Educators Code of Ethics. Employees who suspect that a student has been or may be abused or neglected should also report their concerns to the campus principal. This includes students with disabilities who are no longer minors. Employees are not required to report their concern to the principal before making a report to the appropriate agency. Reporting the concern to the principal does not relieve the employee of the requirement to report it to the appropriate state agency. In addition, employees must cooperate with 41

42 investigators of child abuse and neglect. Interference with a child abuse investigation by denying an interviewer s request to interview a student at school or requiring the presence of a parent or school administrator against the desires of the duly authorized investigator is prohibited. Sexual Abuse and Maltreatment of Children The district has established a plan for addressing sexual abuse and other maltreatment of children, which may be accessed at As an employee, it is important for you to be aware of warning signs that could indicate a child may have been or is being sexually abused or maltreated. Sexual abuse in the Texas Family Code is defined as any sexual conduct harmful to a child s mental, emotional, or physical welfare as well as a failure to make a reasonable effort to prevent sexual conduct with a child. Maltreatment is defined as abuse or neglect. Anyone who suspects that a child has been or may be abused or neglected has a legal responsibility under state law for reporting the suspected abuse or neglect to law enforcement or to Child Protective Services (CPS). Employees are required to follow the procedures described above in Reporting Suspected Child Abuse. Reporting Crime Policy DG The Texas Whistleblower Act protects district employees who make good faith reports of violations of law by the district to an appropriate law enforcement authority. The district is prohibited from suspending, terminating the employment of, or taking other adverse personnel action against, an employee who makes a report under the Act. State law also provides employees with the right to report a crime witnessed at the school to any peace officer with authority to investigate the crime. Technology Resources Policy CQ The district s technology resources, including its networks, accounts, devices connected to its networks, and all district-owned devices used on or off school property, are primarily for administrative and instructional purposes. Limited personal use is permitted if the use: Imposes no tangible cost to the district. Does not unduly burden the district s computer or network resources Has no adverse effect on job performance or on a student s academic performance 42

43 Electronic mail transmissions and other use of the technology resources are not confidential and can be monitored at any time to ensure appropriate use. Employees are required to abide by the provisions of the acceptable use agreement and administrative procedures. Failure to do so can result in suspension of access or termination of privileges and may lead to disciplinary action. Employees with questions about computer use and data management can contact the Director of Information Systems. Personal Use of Electronic Media Policy DH Electronic media includes all forms of social media, such as text messaging, instant messaging, electronic mail ( ), web logs (blogs), electronic forums (chat rooms), video-sharing websites (e.g., YouTube), editorial comments posted on the Internet, and social network sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram). Electronic media also includes all forms of telecommunication such as landlines, cell phones, and webbased applications. As role models for the district s students, employees are responsible for their public conduct even when they are not acting as district employees. Employees will be held to the same professional standards in their public use of electronic media as they are for any other public conduct. If an employee s use of electronic media interferes with the employee s ability to effectively perform his or her job duties, the employee is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. If an employee wishes to use a social network site or similar media for personal purposes, the employee is responsible for the content on the employee s page, including content added by the employee, the employee s friends, or members of the public who can access the employee s page, and for web links on the employee s page. The employee is also responsible for maintaining privacy settings appropriate to the content. An employee who uses electronic media for personal purposes shall observe the following: The employee may not set up or update the employee s personal social network page(s) using the district s computers, network, or equipment. The employee shall limit use of personal electronic communication devices to send or receive calls, text messages, pictures, and videos to breaks, meal times, and before and after scheduled work hours, unless there is an emergency or the use is authorized by a supervisor to conduct district business. The employee shall not use the district s logo or other copyrighted material of the district without express, written consent. An employee may not share or post, in any format, information, videos, or pictures obtained while on duty or on district business unless the employee first obtains written approval from the employee s immediate supervisor. Employees should be cognizant that they have access to information and images that, if transmitted to the public, could violate privacy concerns. 43

44 The employee continues to be subject to applicable state and federal laws, local policies, administrative regulations, and the Texas Educators Code of Ethics, even when communicating regarding personal and private matters, regardless of whether the employee is using private or public equipment, on or off campus. These restrictions include: o Confidentiality of student records. [See Policy FL] o Confidentiality of health or personnel information concerning colleagues, unless disclosure serves lawful professional purposes or is required by law. [See Policy DH (EXHIBIT)] o Confidentiality of district records, including educator evaluations and private addresses. [See Policy GBA] o Copyright law [See Policy CY] o Prohibition against harming others by knowingly making false statements about a colleague or the school system. [See Policy DH (EXHIBIT)] See Use of Electronic Media with Students, below, for regulations on employee communication with students through electronic media. Use of Electronic Media with Students Policy DH A certified or licensed employee, or any other employee designated in writing by the superintendent or a campus principal, may communicate through electronic media with students who are currently enrolled in the district. The employee must comply with the provisions outlined below. All other employees are prohibited from communicating with students who are enrolled in the district through electronic media. An employee is not subject to these provisions to the extent the employee has a social or family relationship with a student. For example, an employee may have a relationship with a niece or nephew, a student who is the child of an adult friend, a student who is a friend of the employee s child, or a member or participant in the same civic, social, recreational, or religious organization. An employee who claims an exception based on a social relationship shall provide written consent from the student s parent. The written consent shall include an acknowledgement by the parent that: The employee has provided the parent with a copy of this protocol The employee and the student have a social relationship outside of school; The parent understands that the employee s communications with the student are excepted from district regulation; and The parent is solely responsible for monitoring electronic communications between the employee and the student. The following definitions apply for the use of electronic media with students: Electronic media includes all forms of social media, such as text messaging, instant messaging, electronic mail ( ), Web logs (blogs), electronic forums (chat rooms), video-sharing websites (e.g., YouTube), editorial comments posted 44

45 on the Internet, and social network sites (e.g., Facebook,, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram). Electronic media also includes all forms of telecommunication such as landlines, cell phones, and web-based applications. Communicate means to convey information and includes a one-way communication as well as a dialogue between two or more people. A public communication by an employee that is not targeted at students (e.g., a posting on the employee s personal social network page or a blog) is not a communication: however, the employee may be subject to district regulations on personal electronic communications. See Personal Use of Electronic Media, above. Unsolicited contact from a student through electronic means is not a communication. Certified or licensed employee means a person employed in a position requiring SBEC certification or a professional license, and whose job duties may require the employee to communicate electronically with students. The term includes classroom teachers, counselors, principals, librarians, paraprofessionals, nurses, educational diagnosticians, licensed therapists, and athletic trainers. An employee who uses electronic media to communicate with students shall observe the following: The employee may use any form of electronic media except text messaging. Only a teacher, trainer, or other employee who has an extracurricular duty may use text messaging, and then only to communicate with students who participate in the extracurricular activity over which the employee has responsibility. An employee who communicates with a student using text messaging shall comply with the following protocol: o The employee shall include at least one of the student s parents or guardians as a recipient on each text message to the student so that the student and parent receive the same message; o The employee shall include his or her immediate supervisor as a recipient on each text message to the student so that the student and supervisor receive the same message; or o For each text message addressed to one or more students, the employee shall send a copy of the text message to the employee s district address. The employee shall limit communications to matters within the scope of the employee s professional responsibilities (e.g., for classroom teachers, matters relating to class work, homework, and tests; for an employee with an extracurricular duty, matters relating to the extracurricular activity. The employee is prohibited from knowingly communicating with students through a personal social network page; the employee must create a separate social network page ( professional page ) for the purpose of communicating with students. The employee must enable administration and parents to access the employee s professional page. The employee shall not communicate directly with any student between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. An employee may, however, make public posts to a social network site, blog, or similar application at any time. 45

46 The employee does not have a right to privacy with respect to communications with students and parents. The employee continues to be subject to applicable state and federal laws, local policies, administrative regulations, and the Texas Educators Code of Ethics, including: o Compliance with the Public Information Act and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), including retention and confidentiality of student records. [See Policies CPC and FL] o Copyright law [See Policy CY] o Prohibitions against soliciting or engaging in sexual conduct or a romantic relationship with a student. [See Policy DHB] Upon request from administration, an employee will provide the phone number(s), social network site(s), or other information regarding the method(s) of electronic media the employee uses to communicate with one or more currentlyenrolled students. Upon written request from a parent or student, the employee shall discontinue communicating with the student through , text messaging, instant messaging, or any other form of one-to-one communication. An employee may request an exception from one or more of the limitations above by submitting a written request to his or her immediate supervisor. Criminal History Background Checks Policy DBAA Employees may be subject to a review of their criminal history record information at any time during employment. National criminal history checks based on an individual s fingerprints, photo, and other identification will be conducted on certain employees and entered into the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Clearinghouse. This database provides the district and SBEC with access to an employee s current national criminal history and updates to the employee s subsequent criminal history. Employee Arrests and Convictions Policy DH An employee must notify his or her principal or immediate supervisor within three calendar days of any arrest, indictment, conviction, no contest or guilty plea, or other adjudication of any felony, and any of the other offenses listed below: Crimes involving school property or funds Crimes involving attempt by fraudulent or unauthorized means to obtain or alter any certificate or permit that would entitle any person to hold or obtain a position as an educator Crimes that occur wholly or in part on school property or at a school-sponsored activity 46

47 Crimes involving moral turpitude Moral turpitude includes the following: Dishonesty Fraud Deceit Theft Misrepresentation Deliberate violence Base, vile, or depraved acts that are intended to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of the actor Crimes involving any felony possession or conspiracy to possess, or any misdemeanor or felony transfer, sale, distribution, or conspiracy to transfer, sell, or distribute any controlled substance Felonies involving driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol Acts constituting abuse or neglect under the SBEC rules If an educator is arrested or criminally charged, the superintendent is also required to report the educators criminal history to the Division of Investigations at TEA. Alcohol and Drug-Abuse Prevention Policies DH, DI Crandall ISD is committed to maintaining an alcohol- and drug-free environment and will not tolerate the use of alcohol and illegal drugs in the workplace and at school-related or school-sanctioned activities on or off school property. Employees who use or are under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs as defined by the Texas Controlled Substances Act during working hours may be dismissed. The district s policy regarding employee drug use follows: Tobacco Products and E-Cigarette Use Policies DH, FNCD GKA State law prohibits smoking, using tobacco products, or e-cigarettes on all districtowned property and at school-related or school-sanctioned activities, on or off school property. This includes all buildings, playground areas, parking facilities, and facilities used for athletics and other activities. Drivers of district-owned vehicles are prohibited from smoking, using tobacco products, or e-cigarettes while inside the vehicle. Notices 47

48 stating that smoking is prohibited by law and punishable by a fine are displayed in prominent places in all school buildings. Fraud and Financial Impropriety Policy CAA All employees should act with integrity and diligence in duties involving the district s financial resources. The district prohibits fraud and financial impropriety, as defined below. Fraud and financial impropriety include the following: Forgery or unauthorized alteration of any document or account belonging to the district Forgery or unauthorized alteration of a check, bank draft, or any other financial document Misappropriation of funds, securities, supplies, or other district assets including employee time Impropriety in the handling of money or reporting of district financial transactions Profiteering as a result of insider knowledge of district information or activities Unauthorized disclosure of confidential or proprietary information to outside parties Unauthorized disclosure of investment activities engaged in or contemplated by the district Accepting or seeking anything of material value from contractors, vendors, or other persons providing services or materials to the district, except as otherwise permitted by law or district policy Inappropriately destroying, removing, or using records, furniture, fixtures, or equipment Failing to provide financial records required by state or local entities Failure to disclose conflicts of interest as required by policy Any other dishonest act regarding the finances of the district Failure to comply with requirements imposed by law, the awarding agency, or a pass-through entity for state and federal awards Conflict of Interest Policy DBD Employees are required to disclose in writing to the district any situation that creates a potential conflict of interest with proper discharge of assigned duties and responsibilities or creates a potential conflict of interest with the best interests of the district. This includes the following: A personal financial interest A business interest Any other obligation or relationship Non-school employment 48

49 Employees should contact their supervisor for additional information. Gifts and Favors Policy DBD Employees may not accept gifts or favors that could influence, or be construed to influence, the employee s discharge of assigned duties. The acceptance of a gift, favor, or service by an administrator or teacher that might reasonably tend to influence the selection of textbooks, electronic textbooks, instructional materials or technological equipment may result in prosecution of a Class B misdemeanor offense. This does not include staff development, teacher training, or instructional materials such as maps or worksheets that convey information to students or contribute to the learning process. Copyrighted Materials Policy EFE Employees are expected to comply with the provisions of federal copyright law relating to the unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, performance, or display of copyrighted materials (i.e., printed material, videos, computer data and programs, etc.). Electronic media, including motion pictures and other audiovisual works, are to be used in the classroom for instructional purposes only. Duplication are to be used in the classroom for educational purposes only. Duplication or backup of computer programs and data must be made within the provisions of the purchase agreement. Associations and Political Activities Policy DGA The district will not directly or indirectly discourage employees from participating in political affairs or require any employee to join any group, club, committee, organization, or association. Employees may join or refuse to join any professional association or organization. An individual s employment will not be affected by membership or a decision not to be a member of any employee organization that exists for the purpose of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of employment, or conditions of work. Use of district resources including work time for political activities is prohibited. Charitable Contributions Policy DG The Board or any employee may not directly or indirectly require or coerce an employee to make a contribution to a charitable organization or in response to a fund-raiser. Employees cannot be required to attend a meeting called for the purpose of soliciting 49

50 charitable contributions. In addition, the Board or any employee may not directly or indirectly require or coerce an employee to refrain from making a contribution to a charitable organization or in response to a fund raiser or attending a meeting called for the purpose of soliciting charitable contributions. Safety Policy CK series The district has developed and promotes a comprehensive program to ensure the safety of its employees, students, and visitors. The safety program includes guidelines and procedures for responding to emergencies and activities to help reduce the frequency of accidents and injuries. To prevent or minimize injuries to employees, coworkers, and students and to protect and conserve district equipment, employees must comply with the following requirements: Observe all safety rules. Keep work areas clean and orderly at all times. Immediately report all accidents to their supervisor. Operate only equipment or machines for which they have training and authorization. Employees with questions or concerns relating to safety programs and issues can contact Director of Safety. Possession of Firearms and Weapons Policies FNCG, GKA Employees, visitors, and students, including those with a license to carry a handgun, are prohibited from bringing firearms, knives, clubs or other prohibited weapons onto school premises (i.e., building or portion of a building) or any grounds or building where a school-sponsored activity takes place. To ensure the safety of all persons, employees who observe or suspect a violation of the district s weapons policy should report it to their supervisor or call the Police immediately. Visitors in the Workplace Policy GKC All visitors are expected to enter any district facility through the main entrance and sign in or report to the building s main office. Authorized visitors will receive directions or be escorted to their destination. Employees who observe an unauthorized individual on the district premises should immediately direct him or her to the building office or contact the administrator in charge. 50

51 Asbestos Management Plan Policy CKA The district is committed to providing a safe environment for employees. An accredited management planner has developed an asbestos management plan for each school. A copy of the district s management plan is kept in the Superintendent s office and is available for inspection during normal business hours. Pest Control Treatment Policies CLB, DI Employees are prohibited from applying any pesticide or herbicide without appropriate training and prior approval of the integrated pest management (IPM) coordinator. Any application of pesticide or herbicide must be done in a manner prescribed by law and the district s integrated pest management program. Notices of planned pest control treatment will be posted in a district building 48 hours before the treatment begins. Notices are generally located at the Raynes Administration Building. In addition, individual employees may request in writing to be notified of pesticide applications. An employee who requests individualized notice will be notified by telephone, written or electric means. Pest control information sheets are available from campus principals or facility managers upon request. Telephones The District provides voic services for all employees. Employees are expected to access voic messages during lunch, conference and before and after school. Between and during classes is not an appropriate time to return calls. If an emergency exists, teachers will be summoned to the office. Long distance calls should be for school business only. Cell phones should be silenced and not in use during instructional time unless cell phone is being used for instructional purposes and approved by campus Administration. Social media for personal use is prohibited during work hours. General Procedures Bad Weather Closing The district may close schools because of bad weather or emergency conditions. When such conditions exist, the Superintendent will make the official decision concerning the closing of the district s facilities. When it becomes necessary to open late, to release students early, or to cancel school, district officials will post a notice on the district s 51

52 website, Official CISD Twitter page, through the Skylert messaging communications system, and notify the following radio and television stations: FOX-Channel 4; NBC-Channel 5; WFAA-Channel 8; CBS-Channel 11; Facebook Crandall ISD. Emergencies Policies CKC, CKD All employees should be familiar with the safety procedures for responding to a medical emergency and the evacuation diagrams posted in their work areas. Emergency drills will be conducted to familiarize employees and students with safety and evacuation procedures. Each campus is equipped with an automatic external defibrillator. Fire extinguishers are located throughout all district buildings. Employees should know the location of these devices and procedures for their use. Purchasing Procedures Policy CH All requests for purchases must be submitted to the appropriate supervisor or department on an official district purchase order (PO) form with the appropriate approval signatures. No purchases, charges, or commitments to buy goods or services for the district can be made without a PO number. The district will not reimburse employees or assume responsibility for purchases made without authorization. Employees are not permitted to purchase supplies or equipment for personal use through the district s business office. Contact the Chief Financial Officer for additional information on purchasing procedures. Name and Address Changes It is important that employment records be kept up to date. Employees must notify the Human Resources office if there are any changes or corrections to their name, home address, contact telephone number, marital status, emergency contact, or beneficiary. The form to process a change in personal information can be obtained from Human Resources office. In addition, the employee must immediately notify the Personnel Office of any changes that would impact payroll, retirement, or insurances purposes. Name changes should be formally completed through the social security administration prior to requesting a change of information. Employees with certification through SBEC are required to maintain an up-to-date address with the agency. Certified employees may contact SBEC on-line directly at 52

53 Each year, an emergency form will be provided for each employee and must be updated to be sure of accurate information. One copy of the form must be retained at the campus or work site with the campus secretary; the other form should be submitted to the Personnel Office. Personnel Records Policy DBA, GBA Most district records, including personnel records, are public information and must be released upon request. Employees may choose to have the following personal information withheld: Address Phone number, including personal cell phone number Information that reveals whether they have family members Personal address The choice to not allow public access to this information may be made at any time by submitting a written request to Human Resources Office. New or terminated employees have 14 days after hire or termination to submit a request. Otherwise, personal information will be released to the public. Building Use Policies DGA, GKD Employees who wish to use district facilities after school hours must follow established procedures. To request to use school facilities after hours and to obtain information on the fees charged, contact Administration Office at Scheduling the use of school facilities requires advance notice due to the use of utilities as well as the scheduling of custodial staff. Facility use guidelines, fees, and regulations can be requested at

54 Termination of Employment Resignations Policy DFE Contract Employees.Contract employees may resign their position without penalty at the end of any school year if written notice is received at least 45 days before the first day of instruction of the following school year. A written notice of resignation should be submitted to the Superintendent or other person designated by board action. Contract employees may resign at any other time only with the approval of the superintendent or the board of trustees. Resignation without consent may result in disciplinary action by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). The superintendent will notify SBEC when an employee resigns and reasonable evidence exists to indicate that the employee has engaged in any of the acts listed in Reports to the Texas Education Agency on page 51. Noncontract Employees.Noncontract employees may resign their position at any time. A written notice of resignation should be submitted to the Superintendent at least two weeks prior to the effective date. Employees are encouraged to include the reasons for leaving in the letter of resignation but are not required to do so. Dismissal or Nonrenewal of Contract Employees Policies DFAA, DFAB, DFBA, DFBB, DFD, DFF, DFFA, DFFB, DFFC Employees on probationary, term, and continuing contracts can be dismissed during the school year according to the procedures outlined in district policies. Employees on probationary or term contracts can be nonrenewed at the end of the contract term. Contract employees dismissed during the school year, suspended without pay, or subject to a reduction in force are entitled to receive notice of the recommended action, an explanation of the charges against them, and an opportunity for a hearing. The timelines and procedures to be followed when a suspension, termination, or nonrenewal occurs will be provided when a written notice is given to an employee. Advance notification requirements do not apply when a contract employee is dismissed for failing to obtain or maintain appropriate certification or when the employee s certification is revoked for misconduct. Information on the timelines and procedures can be found in the DF series policies that are provided to employees or are available on line. Dismissal of Noncontract Employees Policy DCD Noncontract employees are employed at will and may be dismissed without notice, a description of the reasons for dismissal, or a hearing. It is unlawful for the district to dismiss any employee for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, military status, genetic information, any other basis protected by law, or in 54

55 retaliation for the exercise of certain protected legal rights. Noncontract employees who are dismissed have the right to grieve the termination. The dismissed employee must follow the district process outlined in this handbook when pursuing the grievance. (See Complaints and Grievances, page 34.) Exit Interviews and Procedures Policies DC and CY Exit interviews will be scheduled for all employees leaving the district. Information on the continuation of benefits, release of information, and procedures for requesting references will be provided at this time. Separating employees are asked to provide the district with a forwarding address and phone number and complete a questionnaire that provides the district with feedback on his or her employment experience. All district keys, books, property including intellectual property, and equipment must be returned upon separation from employment. Reports to Texas Education Agency Policy DF, DHB The dismissal of a certified employee must be reported to the Division of Investigations at TEA whenever the termination is based on evidence that the employee was involved in any of the following: Any form of sexual or physical abuse of a minor or any other unlawful conduct with a student or a minor Soliciting or engaging in sexual contact or a romantic relationship with a student or minor The possession, transfer, sale, or distribution of a controlled substance The illegal transfer, appropriation, or expenditure of district or school property or funds An attempt by fraudulent or unauthorized means to obtain or alter any certificate or permit for the purpose of promotion or additional compensation Committing a criminal offense or any part of a criminal offense on district property or at a school-sponsored event The superintendent is also required to notify TEA when a certified employee resigns and there is evidence the educator engaged in the conduct listed above. The reporting requirements above are in addition to the superintendent s ongoing duty to notify TEA when a certified employee has a reported criminal history. Reported criminal history means any formal criminal justice system charges and dispositions including arrests, detentions, indictments, criminal information, convictions, deferred adjudications, and probations in any state or federal jurisdiction that is obtained by a means other than the Fingerprint-based Applicant Clearinghouse of Texas (FACT). 55

56 Reports Concerning Court-Ordered Withholding The district is required to report the termination of employees that are under court order or writ of withholding for child support or spousal maintenance to the court and the individual receiving the support (Texas Family Code 8.210, ). Notice of the following must be sent to the court and support recipient: Termination of employment not later than the seventh day after the date of termination Employee s last known address Name and address of the employee s new employer, if known Student Issues Equal Educational Opportunities Policies FB, FFH Crandall ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, or disability in providing education services, activities, and programs, including vocational programs, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Questions or concerns about discrimination of students based on any of the reasons listed above should be directed to the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. Student Records Policy FL Student records are confidential and are protected from unauthorized inspection or use. Employees should take precautions to maintain the confidentiality of all student records. The following people are the only people who have general access to a student s records: Parents: Married, separated, or divorced unless parental rights have been legally terminated and the school has been given a copy of the court order terminating parental rights The student: The rights of parents transfer to a student who turns 18 or is enrolled in an institution of post-secondary education. A district is not prohibited from granting the student access to the student s records before this time. School officials with legitimate educational interests The student handbook provides parents and students with detailed information on student records. Parents or students who want to review student records should be directed to the campus principal for assistance. 56

57 Parent and Student Complaints Policy FNG In an effort to hear and resolve parent and student complaints in a timely manner and at the lowest administrative level possible, the board has adopted orderly processes for handling complaints on different issues. Any campus office or the superintendent s office can provide parents and students with information on filing a complaint. Parents are encouraged to discuss problems or complaints with the teacher or the appropriate administrator at any time. Parents and students with complaints that cannot be resolved to their satisfaction should be directed to the campus principal. The formal complaint process provides parents and students with an opportunity to be heard up to the highest level of management if they are dissatisfied with a principal s response. Administering Medication to Students Policy FFAC Only designated employees may administer prescription medication, nonprescription medication, and herbal or dietary supplements to students. Exceptions apply to the selfadministration of asthma medication, medication for anaphylaxis (e.g., EpiPen ), and medication for diabetes management, if the medication is self-administered in accordance with district policy and procedures. A student who must take any other medication during the school day must bring a written request from his or her parent and the medicine in its original, properly labeled container. Administration of nonprescription medications requires a written request from the student s parent and the medication in its original container with written instructions from the doctor for administration of the medicine including patient s name, physician s name and signature, the name of the medication, time, dosage, and duration of the prescription. Contact the principal or school nurse for information on procedures that must be followed when administering medication to students. Dietary Supplements Policies DH, FFAC District employees are prohibited by state law from knowingly selling, marketing, or distributing a dietary supplement that contains performance-enhancing compounds to a student with whom the employee has contact as part of his or her school district duties. In addition, employees may not knowingly endorse or suggest the ingestion, intranasal application, or inhalation of a performance-enhancing dietary supplement to any student. 57

58 Psychotropic Drugs Policy FFAC A psychotropic drug is a substance used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of a disease or as a component of a medication. It is intended to have an altering effect on perception, emotion, or behavior and is commonly described as a mood- or behavioraltering substance. District employees are prohibited by state law from doing the following: Recommending that a student use a psychotropic drug Suggesting a particular diagnosis Excluding from class or school-related activity a student whose parent refuses to consent to a psychiatric evaluation or to authorize the administration of a psychotropic drug to a student Student Conduct and Discipline Policies in the FN series and FO series Students are expected to follow the classroom rules, campus rules, and rules listed in the Student Handbook and Student Code of Conduct. Teachers and administrators are responsible for taking disciplinary action based on a range of discipline management strategies that have been adopted by the district. Other employees that have concerns about a particular student s conduct should contact the classroom teacher or campus principal. Student Attendance Policy FEB Teachers and staff should be familiar with the district s policies and procedures for attendance accounting. These procedures require minor students to have parental consent before they are allowed to leave campus. When absent from school, the student upon returning to school, must bring a note signed by the parent and/or Dr. note that describes the reason for the absence. These requirements are addressed in campus training and in the student handbook. Contact the campus principal for additional information. 58

59 Bullying Policy FFI All employees are required to report student complaints of bullying to the principal or designee. The district s policy includes definitions and procedures for reporting and investigating bullying of students and is reprinted below: Hazing Policy FNCC Students must have prior approval from the principal or designee for any type of initiation rites of a school club or organization. While most initiation rites are permissible, engaging in or permitting hazing is a criminal offense. Any teacher, administrator, or employee who observes a student engaged in any form of hazing, who has reason to know or suspect that a student intends to engage in hazing, or has engaged in hazing must report that fact or suspicion to the designated campus administrator. 59

60 General Procedures Specific to Crandall ISD Absence Procedures for All Employees All employees are required to report absences using the District s automated absence from duty system (Aesop Program). Please refer to the Aesop Phone System Instructions for Employees in Appendix E on page 101 of this manual. Anytime an employee foresees that he/she may need to be absent from work due to a serious health condition under the Family and Medical Leave Act, the employee should immediately notify the Department of Human Resources to discuss the matter and to ensure all necessary paperwork is completed. (Please refer to page 26 regarding the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) General Provisions. Specific procedures regarding the Family and Medical Leave Act are outlined.) Absence of Teachers/Aides If a teacher or aide is ill and unable to come to school or expects to arrive later than 7:45 a.m. for elementary employees and 7:35 a.m. for secondary employees, the principal or the principal s designee should be contacted by 6:00 a.m. according to school requirements listed below: A teacher has the responsibility to see that worthwhile activities are conducted during his/her absence. An emergency substitute packet is to be maintained by each teacher to make sure the substitute teacher has enough work for the students. Procedure for this file will be set by each building principal. This file should be turned in to the principal by Friday of the third week of instruction in an organized folder for ready use of the substitute. Absentee forms should be completed the day you return to school. The substitute teacher could be asked to complete an evaluation form on the teacher s planning and preparation, and the teacher could be asked to complete an evaluation of the substitute s performance. In accordance with CISD Policy DEC (Local), an employee absent more than five consecutive workdays because of personal illness or illness in the immediate family shall submit medical certification of the illness to the campus principal and the Personnel Department. Due to limited personnel resources on STAAR testing days, teacher and instructional aide absences are strongly discouraged. 60

61 Attendance Absentees and tardies must be recorded as required by the campus in the District Student Attendance Accounting Program BY THE TEACHER ONLY. The electronic attendance records submitted and certified by the teacher are the official record for attendance. Cafeteria Staff breakfast and lunch prices are located on the CISD website in the nutrition services area. Cheating Cheating is a means by which to take advantage of underhanded tactics to gain information that is not honest. Plagiarism is using other s ideas and words without clearly acknowledging the source of that information. This would include using the following without giving credit: Another person s idea, opinion, theory; Using any facts, statistics, graphs, drawings any pieces of information that are not common knowledge Quotations of another person s actual spoken or written words; or Paraphrase of another person s spoken or written words. The fact that you think a student or students may be involved is not sufficient to reprimand the student. Remember many situations of cheating may be prevented simply by your classroom management. However, in the event such a situation should arise, the student or students should be confronted by the teacher. Students should be reminded of the circumstances they have placed themselves in after the first offense. The principal should be informed of these incidents. Parents should be called and made aware of the incident that day by the teacher. Classroom Maintenance Every teacher should impress upon students the importance of keeping our school neat and clean. Students should be assigned to a desk so that they will be responsible for that desk. Each class should leave the room ready for the next group of students. Desks should be checked frequently for marks and cuts. Any student who defaces a desk should be sent to the principal s office immediately. Teachers are urged to make the classroom attractive with displays, maps, bulletin boards, etc. When a class period 61

62 ends, waste paper should be picked up and the teacher should dismiss students and instruct them to leave the classroom in an orderly manner. Energy conservation is very important. All staff should follow the Energy Education Guidelines adopted by the CISD school board. With the exception of the Alternative Center, thermostats are controlled electronically in each building. If you have a problem please contact campus administration. Each teacher (as is possible) will be assigned their own classroom. Teachers sharing classrooms should work together to see that facilities are equally cared for in a responsible manner. Any damage should be reported to the principal as well as the responsible parties. Furniture and equipment is inventoried and assigned to campus locations and cannot be removed without District administration approval. Each classroom set up contains specific furniture and equipment that should not be removed, exchanged, or relocated within a building without principal approval. More specifically, assignment of computers and peripherals are made by District administration and involve specific IP addresses and should without exception remain in the classroom assigned. Any exception of this procedure requires prior approval of District administration, and relocation of such equipment will be carried out by the technology department. Under no circumstances, should computers or peripherals be moved by teachers or other staff members. Contacting Students at School All contact with students at school will be through the office. Parents who come to the classroom to get their child must be referred to the office. A student must be released only upon approval by the office. Names of approved persons must appear on the approved list in the office. Persons other than the parents or legal guardian will be permitted to contact students only in emergency situation. This contact will be made in the presence of the principal or other authorized school personnel. Students will not be taken from the building without the consent of the parent or guardian. DO NOT allow your students to leave with a person who does not have authorization from the office. Visitors, including parents, to the classroom must be wearing a badge to identify them as a visitor. If visitors do not have the badge, they must be sent back to the office. NOTE: All personnel must be diligent and ask questions of persons other than school personnel who are seen in the hallways or on school grounds to insure the safety of all students and school personnel. 62

63 Employee Dress Code The dress and grooming of District employees shall be clean, neat, in a manner appropriate for their assignments, and in accordance with any additional standards established by their supervisors and approved by the Superintendent. Dress and grooming shall conform to the following guidelines: 1. All employees must wear identification name tags or picture identification while at work. 2. Clean and neatly-pressed shirts, slacks, and suits shall be considered acceptable attire for men. 3. Clean and neatly-pressed dresses, slacks, skirts, and blouses shall be considered acceptable attire for women. 4. All skirts shall come to the knee. Pants may not be shorter in length than 5 above the ankle. 5. Wind suits and jeans shall not be permitted. Principals may make exceptions for workdays (not for professional staff development days), field trips, or other school activities or specific job assignments or conditions when informal attire is deemed more appropriate. 6. Clothing should not be revealing in cut, style, or material. No halter tops or tank tops are allowed. Tight fitting clothing is not permissible. 7. Coaching shorts without cover-ups shall be worn only during physical education instructional periods. During classroom instruction, PE/coaching staff must follow the employee dress code. 8. Hair shall be clean and well groomed. Moustaches and beards are allowed if neatly trimmed. Moustaches shall not extend past the corners of the mouth. Sideburns shall not extend beyond the middle of the ear. Hair length for men shall be above the bottom of a dress shirt collar. 9. Hats and caps shall not be worn in District buildings. 10. Keds-type shoes and sandals are allowed if they are clean and well kept. Dress casual shoes are appropriate. Rubber or plastic footwear and flip flops are not permissible. 11. Tattoos that are offensive in nature must be covered. Other tattoos may be covered at the request of administration. Principals shall determine if dress and grooming are professionally appropriate. Employee Work Day The official workday of all employees is 7:30 a.m. until 4:00, unless otherwise specified by the employee s supervisor. Reasons for modification of the official workday include staggered starts and coverage of duty. 63

64 Duty Assignment Teachers/aides will be assigned duty inside or outside the building according to building needs. These assignments will be made by the building principal or designee. A teacher/aide is to be at his/her assigned duty post on time and monitor student activity. Personnel with morning duty should be on Duty by a minimum of 30 minutes prior to the start of school. Duty assignments may be modified at the discretion of the campus principal or designee and as needed to appropriately supervise students. If a staff member anticipates an absence from school, the staff member is responsible for securing another staff member for covering the duty. Eligibility To participate in extra-curricular activities, students must meet eligibility requirements. The teacher, sponsor, director or coach of an extra-curricular activity is responsible at the end of the three-week period for determining the re-establishment of eligibility of a student for participation in any activity. The principal must approve all students who have reestablished eligibility before they can participate. Extracurricular Activities When employees are present at an extracurricular activity, they are responsible to help monitor student behavior. Students and employees are representatives of the District and must behave in a respectful manner to all participants and visitors. Field Trips All approved field trips must meet the following criteria: 1. Requests for approval are submitted to Principal by October Cost must be included in the campus or organization budget. 3. Travel must be on a school bus or, if pre-approved, in a passenger vehicle (see below). 4. Must address the TEKS. 5. Request must include a statement that the field trip is the most effective and efficient way to master the identified TEKS. This should also be documented in lesson plan. 6. Be within the school district if possible. 7. Activity Permission Slips must be on file in the office with a list of students who will be participating. Bus mileage in the amount of $2.95 per mile will be charged to the campus department using the bus. There may be situations where it is more cost effective to use a personal vehicle to transport students. This method of transportation will only be allowed after the driver of the vehicle submits the Request to Use Personal Vehicle to Transport Students form along with a driver s license and an insurance card to the transportation secretary 15 working days prior to trip. The driver/vehicle owner should be aware that their vehicle insurance will be the primary insurance in case of an 64

65 accident. The district s insurance will only pay a liability claim that exceeds that driver s/vehicle owner s policy limits. Fundraising Fundraising activities must be approved by the Principal prior to October 1 of the School Year using the district form found in the appendix. An approved community service project must be part of any fundraising activity for any student organization. Approval after October 1 will be made on an emergency basis by the Principal. District forms must be used when submitting a request. Student groups must have approval from the sponsor before submitting a fund raising request to the principal. This is necessary to coordinate fund raising activities on the campuses. There is to be no solicitation of money by sponsors or students without prior approval. Sponsors are responsible for fundraising materials and monies. Good management of the fundraiser is essential for a positive experience. All groups must turn in their financial goals and purpose by the last day of September. Fundraising requests after this date will be on an emergency basis only. Grade Placement Committee The Grade Placement Committee shall be composed of the principal or the principal s designee, the student s parents or guardian, and the student s teacher of the subject of the grade advancement test on which the student failed to perform satisfactorily. If this teacher is unavailable, the principal shall designate to serve on the committee a teacher certified in the subject of the assessment on which the student failed to perform satisfactorily and who is most familiar with the student s performance in that subject area. Grade Books Teacher maintained portfolio and/or grade book will be used in grades Pre-K through 2. The computer grade book for grades 2 to 12 is the official grade book and all grades must be placed in the system in a timely manner. A back-up hard copy of the grade book may be requested by the principal. The grade book administrator on each campus will print report cards from the computer grade book. Grading Procedures The Board of Trustees of Crandall I. S. D. has adopted a grading policy which all teachers must follow. Policies EIA Local and EIE Local address the grading policy and are found in the Appendix. All teachers must review these policies and the requirements carefully. Additional guidelines will be discussed by campus administration

66 Homework Homework assignments should be clearly understood by the student, meaningful, never for punishment, and reasonable in length. Homework should be checked and returned to the student. Homework should be well planned by the teacher. Homework guidelines are addressed in EIA Local. Identification Badges All CISD employees are required to wear CISD identification badges. Replacement of picture IDs must be handled through the campus office. Incomplete Grades A student who received an Incomplete on his/her report card should make arrangements to remove the Incomplete in seven calendar days. Arrangements are to be made by the student with the teacher who will set a deadline. Failure to meet this deadline will result in zeroes for the work missed which will be averaged in to remove the Incomplete. Instructional Time Students are to be involved in uninterrupted instruction. Students will not be released from regular academic classes except with the permission of the principal. Interruption of the School Day There will be one time established in each building for announcements. This will be the only time that announcements will be made except in case of an emergency. Teachers and other staff members should strive to cooperate with the building principal in this requirement. Leaving Class & Hall Pass Student Students are not to leave their classroom during class periods except in an emergency. Each teacher must enforce this practice. NO STUDENTS OUT OF CLASS. Students should not be released by the teacher to run errands for the teacher. Your conference time and time before and after school should provide ample opportunity for you to take care of school related errands except in an emergency. 66

67 Students are not to leave one campus to go to another campus without authorization from the office (principal or assistant principal). A student leaving a classroom during a class MUST have a hall pass in his/her possession which has been signed and dated with the time (applies to grades 6-12). When appropriate, that pass must be signed for reentry to that class. A permanent pass distinctive to the teacher may be used with the approval of the principal. Leaving Classroom Teachers Teachers are not to leave their classroom unattended during the class period except during an emergency. If you must leave because of an emergency, notify the teacher next door or send a trustworthy student to give notice to the office. Do not leave the campus during school hours without authorization of the principal. Staff must always sign out in the office before leaving the building. Lesson Plans Lesson plans are required. Your building principal will discuss your lesson plans with you as he/she reviews them as to whether they are acceptable or not. Lesson plans should note TEKS objectives. Lesson plans will be read by the principal and the teacher will be notified if his/her plans are acceptable, not acceptable or in need of improvement. The teacher needs to be aware that lesson planning is a part of the instruction section on the teacher evaluation form. When a teacher knows ahead of time that he/she is going to be on extended leave, it is the responsibility of the teacher to prepare lesson plans for the entire period of the anticipated absence. The lesson plans must be submitted to the campus principal at least two weeks prior to the expected date for leave to begin. For instance, if a teacher is planning to be on leave due to pregnancy, the teacher should prepare lesson plans for the leave of absence beginning with the targeted date of delivery. These lesson plans must be submitted to the campus principal at least two weeks prior to the date the teacher anticipates his/her leave to begin. Library Crandall has campus libraries available for the use of its students. Each campus has a library with the high school library also serving as a community library. Each building librarian will provide teachers with the rules and procedures which are in place for that building concerning library instruction, use of the library for research by individuals or a class, checking out books, and use of the computers in the library. The Crandall- Combine City-School Library located at the high school is open to all students and residents. The procedures for this library are found in the appendix. 67

68 Lunchroom, Building and Grounds 1. Teachers/aides with lunchroom duty should see that students show proper conduct during that time. Students are responsible for cleaning up their tables, removing trays and placing trash in the proper area after lunch. 2. Students must stay the full lunchtime in the cafeteria unless they have a note from the lunch duty personnel, the principal, assistant principal, counselor or teacher. 3. Any faculty member that notices students in the hall during lunchtime should question the student s presence. 4. All of us are responsible for all students and should always be aware of students in the building and on the grounds that are misbehaving (or just should not be there) and should take appropriate steps to correct. It is especially necessary for all teachers to maintain hall duty during the change of classes. 5. Visitors in the building must be wearing a visitor s badge. 6. Food bought in cafeteria must stay in cafeteria. Mail Boxes Mailboxes for teachers/aides are provided in the office area and should be checked each morning and at least once during the day. Do not allow mail to accumulate in your box or use your mailbox as a collection place. Office Detentions Office detentions are assigned by the Principal or Assistant Principal. Length of detention will be determined by the administrator. Students will be informed at the time the detention is assigned of the date, time, and room. Online Grade Reporting & Report Cards Skyward Family Access is an online grade reporting system that allows parents to view real-time information about their child s grades and schedules. In an effort to provide this service to parents, teachers are expected to adhere to campus grading procedures and deadlines as well as all Crandall ISD grading policies. Grades must be posted weekly in Skyward Family Access unless circumstances exist and communication is made to the campus principal. REPORT CARDS ARE VERY IMPORTANT COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE TEACHER AND THE HOME. State law requires that report cards signed by the parent or guardian be returned to the school. Grade verification is a very important part of the grade reporting process. Verifications should be done carefully and according to guidelines provided by the grade book administrator on each campus. 68

69 The school year is divided into two semesters of three six week periods. Report cards will usually be issued on the first Thursday after the end of each six-week period unless otherwise specified by the campus principal. THE TEACHER S GRADEBOOK AND REPORT CARDS SHOULD BE RECORDED BY THE TEACHER ONLY. P.T.O. The Parent-Teacher Organization (P.T.O.) meetings afford excellent opportunities to become acquainted with parents and to let them know what we are trying to accomplish. The administration feels that it is the teacher s professional responsibility to attend as many meetings as possible. Meet the Teacher Night is required according to building procedures. Parent Conferences and Positive Parent Contacts: Conferences with parents are very important. Below are a few suggestions that may help you have a more successful parent conference: 1. Decide in advance what you are going to discuss. Assemble a folder of the pupil s work. Work up a checklist of the various problems about which you want to talk. 2. Begin and end the conference with positive or encouraging comments about the student and his/her work. 3. Use clear, simple language to explain your work and your goals for the student. Avoid using expressions such as peer pressure and sibling rivalry. 4. Meet privately and avoid sitting behind the desk. 5. Involve the principal or assistant principal if you need additional support or information which they can provide. 6. Suggest ways in which the pupil can improve his/her work and ways in which his/her parents can help. 7. Avoid making comparisons with the pupil s brothers, sisters, or classmates. Don t let comments about other students creep into the conversation. NOTE: If a parent becomes overly upset or uses profane language, the teacher should stop the conference and go directly to the principal or assistant principal s office. ALL TEACHERS ARE EXPECTED TO MAKE POSITIVE CONTACTS (CALLS, NOTES, LETTERS, MEETINGS) WITH PARENTS OF EACH STUDENT AS PER CAMPUS GUIDELINES. Contacts must be documented and turned into the principal at the end of each semester. Teachers should maintain documentation of their contacts. 69

70 Parent Conference/Progress Reports (Deficiencies) Each teacher, a team of teachers, or one teacher designated by the team will attempt to conduct a parent conference for any student who has a 69 or lower grade average for the first six weeks. Teachers will then follow the same procedure for each of the following six weeks. (However, a teacher should contact parents anytime students are failing.) At least, the teacher will make phone contact with the student s parents or guardian. Progress reports for students with an average of 74 or lower will be sent to the office by the designated date. Students that are showing a drop of a letter grade in their grade average should also be included in these progress reports. Progress reports will be prepared and sent home with the student. All grades must be in the computer by 10:00 a.m. the last day of the 3rd week of each 6 weeks period, unless otherwise specified by campus administration. Elementary Schools send progress reports home in the take home folder. Middle and High School distributes progress reports to students during class meetings. Parents also have access to progress reports through the Skyward Family Access Program. See the CISD website for a link. Parent Teacher Conferences Appointments may be made through the office or directly with the teacher via or phone. A conference will be scheduled during the teacher s conference period or after school. Due to the fact that many parents work in Dallas, teachers should be as flexible as possible when setting up parent conferences. A few extra minutes before or after school may solve the problem you are having with a student in your class. Placement Review Committee (TEC ) Each school shall establish a three-member committee to determine placement of a student when a teacher refuses the return of a student to the teacher s class and make recommendations to the district regarding re-admission of expelled students. Members shall be appointed as follows: 1. The campus faculty shall choose two teachers to serve as members and one teacher to serve as an alternate member; and 2. The principal shall choose one member from the professional staff of a campus. The teacher refusing to re-admit the student may not serve on the committee. See Crandall I.S.D. Code of Conduct for more information. 70

71 Posters and Bulletin Boards Teachers are encouraged to make every effort to keep attractive bulletin boards and to display student work. Some student work should always be on display to encourage good work habits. Posting of Information All posted material must have prior principal approval. Progress Reports Progress reports will be sent home at the end of the third week of instruction each six weeks to students with a grade of 74 or lower. Progress reports should indicate problem areas and include a behavior statement when appropriate. Since a student may not participate in extra-curricular activities if he/she fails the six weeks, it is imperative that grades are sent home. Progress reports will be run after the end of the 3rd week of the 6 weeks. Procedures will vary from campus to campus and will provide to each staff by the grade book administrator, counselor and/or principal. Skyward Family Access is an online grade reporting system that allows parents to view real-time information about their child s grades and schedules. In an effort to provide this service to parents, teachers are expected to adhere to campus grading procedures and deadlines as well as all Crandall ISD grading policies. Promotion/Awarding of Credits In grades 3 12, a grade of 70 is required for a student to receive credit for a class. Promotion and grades in grades K 12 will be given in accordance with District policy (EIE Local). Responsibilities in the Halls Teachers and staff are expected to greet students with a positive individual interaction at the door prior to the beginning of all class periods and help supervise the hall traffic at the beginning and end of the school day and during passing times between classes. Every teacher should feel responsible for helping maintain a good climate for education. In the elementary grades, the teacher is responsible when a class moves from one part of the building to another. Elementary teachers should monitor their student during restroom breaks and to/from the cafeteria, library, computer lab, etc. Middle School teachers should monitor students during passing periods and when the entire class goes to cafeteria, library and computer lab. 71

72 Responsibility of Equipment Staff members are responsible for all school equipment which has been checked out to them. Teachers must keep accurate records of all equipment that is checked out to students. School Improvement Plan The District Improvement Plan and the Campus Improvement Plan for each campus is provided under a separate cover. The AEIS (Academic Excellence Indicator System) Report, District Goals and Objectives, and teacher/parent/student input are used as a basis for the Campus Improvement Plan. Every teacher should review these plans and work with administration and staff to accomplish campus and district goals. Sponsorships Sponsorships are an integral part of the educational process. The fact that the teacher supports the activity they are sponsoring will enhance their classroom environment. This provides teachers an insight to those students that otherwise they might never have had. Sponsors should provide the allotted fundraisers in a manner that is financially beneficial for the group and one that the organization can enter into together. While the main purpose of a fundraiser is to raise finances, the involvement and enjoyment of students are also a major purpose on choosing activities. Sponsors should make an effort to see that their class/organization fundraiser is an activity that can involve the group responsible and when necessary the entire student body. High School: Sponsorship assignments will be made at the beginning of each school year with proposed activities. Teacher sponsors should work together to share equally the responsibility of their group. A sponsorship list will be provided at the beginning of the school year. All fundraising money must be accurately recorded and deposited in accordance with campus and district procedures. Staff Development District-Recommended Trainings for Best Practices in the Workplace CISD offers the following e-courses to provide their employees information and training for best practices in the workplace. CISD highly recommends and encourages all staff members to complete each of these courses annually prior to the first day of school. These courses can be found on the curriculum staff development webpage. Student Activities/Calendar An Activity Calendar is maintained in the Principal s office (Assistant Principal s office at high school). All activities and fundraisers must be cleared through the principal or 72

73 designee and then will be posted on the monthly school calendar. A weekly calendar will be provided with notes about upcoming activities. Teachers will schedule activities outside the instructional day only if prior approval has been given by the principal. These activities will not be scheduled unless the students have been notified at least three (3) days in advance. Activities involving students should be placed on the monthly school calendar to allow advance notice to teachers in planning classroom activities. Student Illness and Accidents Stay alert to symptoms that indicate the presence of a disease or illness. Provide immediate attention to accident victims. Illness and accident information is to be reported to the principal by completing an Injury Report Form. Report all head and eye injuries to office personnel. These will be logged by office personnel. Teachers should observe standard health practices in handling body fluids. Kits are provided to all personnel. Tardies Tardies are viewed as a disruption to the classroom environment. Coming in late not only deprives the tardy student of full learning time, but also disrupts the education of the other students. If a student is to learn, he/she must be in an assigned workstation prepared to work before the tardy bell rings. Teachers will set guidelines and procedures for students who are tardy to class. All teachers will follow tardy policy as designated by campus administration. Teacher Detentions Teachers can assign teacher detentions for 30 minutes before or after school. Please give students and parents a written notice at least one day prior to the detention. FORMS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE OFFICE. Students who miss your detention may be referred to the office for disciplinary action. Textbooks/ Instructional Materials Policy CMD Teacher responsibilities regarding student textbooks include the following: Keep a record of textbook numbers for all textbooks issued to students. Ensure book covers are available and textbooks are kept covered at all times. Notify the parent when a textbook is lost, destroyed, or damaged by a student. 73

74 Verify textbook numbers and condition of the textbook when they are returned by the student. Record damage on the front cover along with the date. Conduct textbook count as directed by principals. Each teacher should submit a written request on the appropriate campus form to the assistant principal for the number of books he/she will need based on student rolls. These may be requested during in- service/workdays to expedite the first day of school. Each teacher should compile a list of students and the identification number of the book issued to the student by class period. Copies should be made and sent to the office. One list should be for the records of the teacher; duplicate should be filed in the office. Any unused books should be returned to the office by the end of the third day of classes. Teachers are responsible for books issued to them. Students dropping your class or checking out of school will turn in their textbooks to you when possible. Extra books are to be kept in the bookroom. Each student or his/her parent/guardian shall be responsible for all instructional material(s) and technological equipment not returned in an acceptable condition by the student. Tutoring Tutoring is available to all students as needed. During tutorials, teachers are required to provide instruction for students and work directly with students. Individual or small group assistance should be provided as needed. Tutorials should address the objectives missed on tests, STAAR, or daily work based upon state and local standards. All teachers at each campus are expected to provide tutoring before or after regular school hours, at a minimum of two days a week or as directed by campus administrator. Teachers are also expected to provide tutoring for students at other times by appointment or as designated by principal. Teachers may also provide tutoring during the day at assigned times. Tutoring schedules must be submitted to the campus principal for approval and must be kept in the office. Teachers should keep a tutoring log with date, time and student names. Other campus procedures for tutoring may be addressed as needed. See accelerated instruction listed under Student Success Initiative: State Testing Requirements for Promotion. Tutoring is part of the Response to Intervention (RTI) plan to help meet the needs of students. Video Policy Approval is required prior to showing any videos to students, with the exception of online videos, available through purchased subscriptions and video clips directly related to the lesson plan. A video request form, which requires principal approval, is available in the library of each campus. The following information from Copyright for Schools by Carol Mann Simpson should be considered prior to requesting principal approval. 74

75 In order for a school to use a film or video in the education program without having to pay royalties for public performance, the use must meet all four of the following criteria: The performance must take place in a classroom or other place of instruction in the nonprofit educational institution; and The performance must be directed by students or teachers of the institution; The performance must be in the course of face-to-face teaching activities; The performance must be made from a copy of the work which was legally made or acquired. Showing videos for a reward is a direct violation of the Copyright Act. There is a possible exception to these requirements, since all campuses purchase an annual subscription public performance site license for exhibitions of copyrighted movies from represented studios. It is the teacher s responsibility to verify with the librarian the license is valid for the current school year. The studios include Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Tri-Star Pictures, Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Metro- Goldwyn Mayer, United Artists, Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, and Universal Pictures. This license covers movies licensed for home use to be shown on the campus property. The license does not cover showings where an admission is charged. Video Recording Sec of the State Education Code. CONSENT REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN ACTIVITIES a) An employee of a school district must obtain the written consent of a child s parent before the employee may make or authorize the making of a videotape of a child or record or authorize the recording of a child s voice. b) An employee of a school district is not required to obtain the consent of a child s parent before the employee may make a videotape of a child or authorize the recording of a child s voice if the video recording or voice recording is to be used only for: c) purposes of safety, including the maintenance of order and discipline in common areas of the school or on school buses; d) a purpose related to a co-curricular or extracurricular activity, or e) a purpose related to regular classroom instruction. To meet the above requirements, a copy of the Publications, Video, Internet Consent and Release Agreement must be completed and on file at the campus granting the school permission for students to be included in campus and district publicity, publications, and/or public relations activities. 75

76 Appendix: Employee Agreement for Acceptable use of the Electronic Communications System You are being given access to the District s electronic communications system. Through this system, you will be able to communicate with other schools, colleges, organizations, and people around the world through the Internet and other electronic information systems/networks. You will have access to hundreds of databases, libraries, and computer services all over the world. With this opportunity comes responsibility. It is important that you read the District policy, administrative regulations, and agreement form and ask questions if you need help in understanding them. Inappropriate system use will result in the loss of the privilege of using this educational and administrative tool. Please note that the Internet is a network of many types of communication and information networks. It is possible that you may run across some material you might find objectionable. While the District will take reasonable steps to restrict access to such material as required by the Children s Internet Protection Act, it is not possible to absolutely prevent such access. It will be your responsibility to follow the rules for appropriate use as well as monitor student use of the system. APPROPRIATE USES OF THE SYSTEM: The account is to be used mainly for educational purposes, but some limited personal use is permitted. You will be held responsible at all times for the proper use of your account, and the District may suspend or revoke your access if you violate the rules. Remember that people who receive from you with a school address might think your message represents the school s point of view. Gradebook/attendance access is only for authorized teachers and administrators. Providing access to your account for someone else is a violation of the Acceptable Use Policy and the Texas Penal Code (a third degree felony). An example would be logging in and providing access for a substitute teacher. INAPPROPRIATE USES OF THE SYSTEM: Using the system for any illegal purpose; Borrowing someone s account without permission; Sharing passwords; Downloading or using copyrighted information without permission from the copyright holder; Posting messages or accessing materials that are abusive, obscene, sexually oriented, threatening, harassing damaging to another s reputation, or illegal; Wasting school resources through improper use of the computer system; Gaining unauthorized access to restricted information or resources; CONSEQUENCES FOR INAPPROPRIATE USE OF THE SYSTEM: Suspension of access to the system; Revocation of the computer system account; or Other disciplinary or legal action, in accordance with the District policies and applicable laws. I understand that my computer use is not private and that the District will monitor my activity on the computer system. I have read the District s electronic communications system policy and administrative regulations and agree to abide by their provisions. In consideration for the privilege of using the District s electronic communications system and in consideration for having access to the public networks, I hereby release the District, its operations, and any institutions with which they are affiliated from any and all claims and damages of any nature arising from my use of or inability to use, the system, including, without limitation, the type of damages identified in the District s policy and administrative regulations. Printed Name: Signature: Home address: Date: Phone Number: 76

77 Crandall Independent School District Parent Notification & Permission Form for a Student Trip The following student trip is planned. This trip has been requested by the sponsor/coach/teacher whose signature appears below. It has been approved by the building principal and the superintendent of schools as indicated by their signature. (Signature of requesting sponsor/coach/teacher) (Signature of Principal) (Date) (Date) STUDENT TRIP DESCRIPTION Purpose of the student trip: Correlation with Curriculum: TEKS Addressed: Class/Organization Scheduling: Name(s) of Supervisor(s): Trip Destination: Date(s) of Scheduled trip: Departure time: Departure Location: Return time: Return Location: Method of Transportation: School Bus Private passenger car Vehicle has comprehensive insurance for transporting passengers Yes No Verified by: (Vehicle owner signature) (Date) Parent Permission I,, authorize (parent/guardian) (student name) to participate in the school trip using the transportation identified on this form. Parent Signature: Date: 77

78 Aesop